Google is making its privacy policies uniform

Google is making its privacy policies uniform across many of its services and tearing down the walls between them to allow for the sharing of user data. Google contends that the move toward consolidation will improve search and serve users better. "This is typical Google bluster and bafflegab," Consumer    
Watchdog's John Simpson countered.

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) will consolidate about 60 of its privacy policies across its products in March, creating one overarching policy and leaving only about another 10 unchanged for legal and other reasons.
The company is also changing its terms of service (TOS). It may combine information on Google account holders across all the company's services the account holder uses.

This will provide a simpler, more intuitive Google experience and also let the company serve users better, it claims.

The announcement of the changes sparked concern among privacy watchdogs both in the United States and the European Union.


The eWEEK slide show examines the policy details and the public backlash that is already gathering strength. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Google-Privacy-Policies-Rile-Users-Regulators-With-Zero-OptOut-513281/

source: eweek