I spent 10 days in Mexico, so I couldn't post at all, but now I'm back here. Maybe I'll write a little bit more about my stay there, but not today. Today is all about Google, because yesterday when I checked my mail, I found some rather interesting articles.
I find it hard to decide what exactly is the role of Google in our society. It's obvious that they have played a very positive role in opening and expanding Internet to the people. However, I find their behavior more and more questionable these days.
What I mean are mostly three cases - first the way they resumed work in China - they just gave up to the censure. I mean what's the point of showing links that the users can't open? Getting them into more trouble trying to find a proxy that will work and thus attracting the government's attention? It's just not so good idea. At least not on first thought. I may be wrong, I don't know. But still, it doesn't make sense first to tell everybody how you intend to black mail China into removing censure, to wave your flag and then to beg for renewal of your license? Come on.
The second MAJOR screw up was the deal with Google Streets View. The whole gathering of data is no way accidental as I wrote in another post. That much is clear. Well, in this case, I simply cannot believe them. Because you don't gather such data, on such scale, just for the fun of it. It had reason and I cannot see any good reason behind it. I won't even go into conspiracy theory, it's obvious. And I don't like it. And what I like even less is the next thing, that unfortunately connects way too well with this screw up.
The Android applications news!
This one was somehow underestimated, but if you ask me is the BIGGEST news about Google. The thing is that they announced some security breaches in Android's application and how they will REMOTELY remove such dangerous applications from users phones. Oh, thank you Google. How about to tell me what the fuck do you have to do with my phone and with the applications on it. You don't have the right to delete remotely ANY applications unless I required assistance or opted-in for such service. However the article doesn't mention opt-in or opt-out. It says that the user will get a notification about the removed applications. Well, thanks!
I don't know if you realise how bad it is. Google actually have access to the data on your phone (because that means remote access) and that they are able to delete ANY data on your phone. Does this sound normal? Even Microsoft didn't do something so bad. And Google, the major competitor of M$ just proved that they are not much better.
For me personally, this news is very important. It means that Google are simply not ready for the power they already have. Because it's obvious they can do a lot of nasty stuff with very good intentions. The point of being mature is to know where to stop. You can't mess with your users data just to make sure they are safe. You're not their parent, but a provider of a service. I can't think of someone that will want his or her data to be accessible remotely and deleted with only a notification. It may sound good at first, but hey, have you read your Google TOS? If you have not, do it! Because it's very clearly said - you don't have rights. Google can do whatever they please under the cover of good intentions and if they do you good, ok. If they do you wrong, however, you cannot do anything. You're just helpless. Think about it. If Google deletes something important for you from your phone claiming it's for your own protection, how would you feel? And last but not least, remote access means also remote monitoring. Do you want your data to be constantly monitored? Well, I don't. So for me it's clear. Google has a long way to go until they understand that with power comes responsibility. And nobody can limit my options in life, claiming it's for my own good. I decide what's good for me.
Today:
- Google Found In Violation Of Australian Privacy Act
- Google Gives In To European Regulators
- China Renews Google's Internet License
- Google Removes Questionable Apps from Android Market
Google Found In Violation Of Australian Privacy Act
Friday, July 9, 2010
Google's indiscretions with regards to WiFi data collection have earned it - for now - three years of close supervision in Australia. That appears to be about the maximum penalty Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis can impose after determining the company violated a privacy law.
Still, Google will have to perform (and share) Privacy Impact Assessments whenever it alters its Street View data collection practices. The company's supposed to have regular meetings with the Privacy Commissioner about the impact of other product launches, as well.
Curtis even asked Google to post an apology on its official blog to boot. And that won't necessarily be the end of things, since other Australian authorities - like the Australian Federal Police - may decide additional consequences would be appropriate.
Curtis did acknowledge that Google cooperated with her investigation. source
(For more info see "Australia launches privacy investigation of Google ")
Google Gives In To European Regulators
Handover of sensitive WiFi data will start this week
Friday, June 4, 2010
Before long, certain European regulators will get to see exactly what sort of information Google amassed when the company's Street View cars collected data sent over private WiFi networks. Google has decided to start turning over the data by the end of the week.
Interestingly, Google hasn't yet decided to share anything with authorities in Hong Kong, who made a request last month. But Maija Palmer and Lionel Barber reported late yesterday, "Eric Schmidt, chief executive, said the world's largest internet company would hand over information initially to the German, French and Spanish data protection authorities."
Furthermore, in an effort to make regulators, privacy groups, and individuals relax a little, Google is supposed to publish the results of an external audit. source
China Renews Google's Internet License
Company allowed to continue operating
Friday, July 9, 2010
By Doug Caverly
After months and months of censorship, workarounds, and harsh words between them, it's been decided: the Chinese government will not force Google out of the country. Google announced this morning that its Internet Content provider license has been renewed.
Google's announcement came in the form of a one-sentence update to the most recent China-related post on the Official Google Blog.
The update read, "We are very pleased that the government has renewed our ICP license and we look forward to continuing to provide web search and local products to our users in China."
This is undeniably big news, though. From a human rights perspective, it means Google will continue to expose itself to criticism over whatever information it denies Chinese users. And also praise for at least providing them with some information they might have had more trouble accessing before.
Then, from a business perspective, this development means Google still has a chance to profit as the world's most populous country goes online. source
"The license, which China could revoke at any time, allows Google to keep its Web site, Google.cn, in China and continue operating some Internet services there. It also allows Google to continue referring users in China to its uncensored Hong Kong-based Chinese language search engine, at google.com.hk.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that is now a special administrative region of China, is governed separately from the mainland. Under the current setup in mainland China, users can conduct a Google search and see the results, but often they cannot open the links because they are blocked by the Chinese government." source
Google Removes Questionable Apps from Android Market
Thursday, June 24, 2010
By Chris Crum
Yesterday a questionable report from SMobile Systems was released talking about Android security and how a fifth of Android apps pose security risks.
Google's Jay Nancarrow told WebProNews, "This report falsely suggests that Android users don't have control over which apps access their data. Not only must each Android app gets users' permission to access sensitive information, but developers must also go through billing background checks to confirm their real identities, and we will disable any apps that are found to be malicious."
Even still, today Android has taken the initiative to have a couple of (intentionally) questionable apps removed from the Android Market. Android Security Lead Rich Cannings writes:
Every now and then, we remove applications from Android Market due to violations of our Android Market Terms of Service or Content Policy. In cases where users may have installed a malicious application that poses a threat, we’ve also developed technologies and processes to remotely remove an installed application from devices. If an application is removed in this way, users will receive a notification on their phone.
Recently, we became aware of two free applications built by a security researcher for research purposes. These applications intentionally misrepresented their purpose in order to encourage user downloads, but they were not designed to be used maliciously, and did not have permission to access private data — or system resources beyond permission.INTERNET. As the applications were practically useless, most users uninstalled the applications shortly after downloading them.
Google used its remote application removal feature to "clean up" any remaining installed copies of the apps. source
Be warned!
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