This is why I'm skeptical of Google.
I use some of their products/services, but with eyes wide open.
Starting Nov 11, Google will start doing this:
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/new...opt-out-432005
In a nutshell, anything you buy or rent or whatever else via any Google property will become your "endorsement" in an ad your "circles" see, complete with your photo and contact info. So if you recently ordered a copy of "Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler" - maybe for a WWII research project for your high-school kid - from a vendor who uses Google Checkout, the next time someone in one of your "circles" gets a book-related ad pushed to them by Google, it might say "John Doe (YOU) recommends Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf ".
Is that what you want? I don't.
Even if it's not controversial, it's still going to be tough to keep everything to yourself. Music for example is a very personal choice - let's say your favorite artists are Air Supply and Barry Manilow... do you want your "Harley's Angels" biker club Google Circle knowing that that's what you like to listen to? Not me.
Even though I work in the public spotlight - I do NOT want my photo plastered all over the Internet with "endorsements" based on stuff I may have purchased. I don't want anything with my name on it in the same sentence with "endorsement" unless I've been paid to do research for a client and have presented a (private) report bearing my name. I buy lots of software and apps for testing for my columns and other client-related projects. That's sure as hell not an "endorsement" of any of those products or services. But according to Google's new policy - it will be.
And even if you do opt out of Google's scheme - that may or may not opt you out of what the hundreds of what Google partners might be doing with that same data. Even if they're "not supposed to" use it once you've opted out - is that what's really going to happen? With email marketing, your requests are pretty much ignored once you get past the primary marketer.
I constantly get email that says "you're receiving this because you opted in to XYZ....a partner of ours....". And if you read the extra-fine print in the EULA, it will say something like "you agree to allow us to share your contact information with our partnering companies". If that same policy winds up as part of "Endorsement Advertising" - which it absolutely will if it has not already - how are you going to opt of of that?
Luckily- for now at least you can opt out of Google's direct use of your information.
https://plus.google.com/settings/endorsements
Scroll down the page and clear the checkbox at " ..based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads" . Be sure to save the page before leaving.
- JLS
I use some of their products/services, but with eyes wide open.
Starting Nov 11, Google will start doing this:
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/new...opt-out-432005
In a nutshell, anything you buy or rent or whatever else via any Google property will become your "endorsement" in an ad your "circles" see, complete with your photo and contact info. So if you recently ordered a copy of "Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler" - maybe for a WWII research project for your high-school kid - from a vendor who uses Google Checkout, the next time someone in one of your "circles" gets a book-related ad pushed to them by Google, it might say "John Doe (YOU) recommends Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf ".
Is that what you want? I don't.
Even if it's not controversial, it's still going to be tough to keep everything to yourself. Music for example is a very personal choice - let's say your favorite artists are Air Supply and Barry Manilow... do you want your "Harley's Angels" biker club Google Circle knowing that that's what you like to listen to? Not me.
Even though I work in the public spotlight - I do NOT want my photo plastered all over the Internet with "endorsements" based on stuff I may have purchased. I don't want anything with my name on it in the same sentence with "endorsement" unless I've been paid to do research for a client and have presented a (private) report bearing my name. I buy lots of software and apps for testing for my columns and other client-related projects. That's sure as hell not an "endorsement" of any of those products or services. But according to Google's new policy - it will be.
And even if you do opt out of Google's scheme - that may or may not opt you out of what the hundreds of what Google partners might be doing with that same data. Even if they're "not supposed to" use it once you've opted out - is that what's really going to happen? With email marketing, your requests are pretty much ignored once you get past the primary marketer.
I constantly get email that says "you're receiving this because you opted in to XYZ....a partner of ours....". And if you read the extra-fine print in the EULA, it will say something like "you agree to allow us to share your contact information with our partnering companies". If that same policy winds up as part of "Endorsement Advertising" - which it absolutely will if it has not already - how are you going to opt of of that?
Luckily- for now at least you can opt out of Google's direct use of your information.
https://plus.google.com/settings/endorsements
Scroll down the page and clear the checkbox at " ..based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads" . Be sure to save the page before leaving.
- JLS
Comment