Google's revised privacy policy is raising new concerns about consumers rights to their information on the internet and other connected products. Bobbi Rebell reports.
TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: A new warning for consumers: Google at your own risk. Earlier this week, in an online post, the company unveiled its new privacy policy, linking all its online offerings- including its widely used search engine, Gmail, Google +, and YouTube. It also ties into the Android mobile operating system. And with the exception of a few tweaks, consumers cannot opt out. When the full policy goes into effect on March 1st, user information for most Google products will be treated as a single group of data. The company can then use that information across all its products to sell targeted ads. Wired New York Bureau Chief John Abell has a warning for consumers.
JOHN ABELL: "Never put information in someone else's hands that you don't want to be shared. Don't put something on a company website which you would be afraid if it were stolen."
REPORTER: The move is controversial- because it could raise red flags for anti-trust regulators. Both Facebook and Twitter have settled different FTC charges related to privacy- though each case is different. Google also points out that there are benefits to consumers. For example a person can search for a restaurant using Google's search engine. Google will then use Google plus social network to incorporate comments and photos from friends. Abell believes Google has enough at stake- that it will be careful not to upset its users.
JOHN ABELL: "Google needs to have your trust with all the things that they already know about you so if they were to screw up and do things with your data that you did not like it would be a terrible blow to their entire business model which is based on that trust."
REPORTER: And to be clear: the data Google is collecting is not new- it's just being grouped together- a seemingly simple nuance with implications still unknown. Bobbi Rebell, Reuters.
ALSO SEE
• Updating our privacy policies and terms of service (Official Google Blog)
• Google Privacy Policy Update (YouTube)
• Google-phobics can just log off (Mail Online)
• Google privacy policy is subject of backlash (Washington Post)
