Is Google 'watching' YOU?!!!

[ataarticles]

Whenever i am online, i always have this funny feeling that someone, somewhere like Google is watching me.
Now consider this:
These guys started back in 1998 and now what do they have. All the information about you. Not only that, they even have my home picture on Google Earth which is rather disturbing.

In the near future, they will come up with more applications to spy on you.
Some say it's all conspiracy theory, but the truth is loud and clear if you really ponder over this

Is Google working for the U.S. governement?
It wouldn't surprise me if they were.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBAAFd-1L4M

 

[carl6969]

Okay. I have pondered it. And after a respectable amount of pondering I conclude that I do not think Google nor the U.S. Government is spying on me. And, I see no reason to be concerned about such things anyway unless one is involved in criminal activity.

 

[lemon-tree]

I don't think Google is targeting any particular person, but I'm sure they're combining our data and devising new ways to give us adverts. Am I worried about it? Partially, I do find it a bit unnerving for a company that I no longer trust to have that much data about any of us, but then again if you don't give it anything that makes you worried, then you can't be.

 

[carl6969]

but then again if you don't give it anything that makes you worried, then you can't be.

EXCELLENT point.

 

[ataarticles]

Okay. I have pondered it. And after a respectable amount of pondering I conclude that I do not think Google nor the U.S. Government is spying on me. And, I see no reason to be concerned about such things anyway unless one is involved in criminal activity.

So after respectable amount of pondering you conclude that you don't think Google is spying on you. Your pondering was like probably a few seconds or a minute at the most. You're a funny guy.
Explain this: Why would Google want to take a photo of my home and all my neighbour's properties and add it on Google Earth?

http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/rich-tehrani/technology/google-earth-complaints.html

 

[carl6969]

Actually, I have considered the matter on and off since Google first started Street View and I have read many of the complaints and concerns which people have raised. There is a very clear picture of the front of my home, (as well as the side of my home due to the fact I live on a corner), and I can very sincerely say that it does not cause me the slightest bit of concern. While I respect the frequently expressed concerns of you and many other people, I personally do not see any reason whatsoever to worry about it. I live on a public street and anybody can drive by my home, look at it, and even photograph it if they wish. Nothing to stop them. So, Google did that very thing and put it on the Internet. I really do not care. Why should I care? My understanding is that is if a property owner or occupant of a home or business being displayed on Street View objects to the image they can request that Google remove the image. And Google has honored at least some of those requests.

Why would Google want to take a photo of my home and all my neighbour's properties and add it on Google Earth?

Some people might find it interesting to explore places in detail with photographs. Maybe some interesting place they cannot travel to. Maybe take a look around a city they plan to visit for business or vacation. Maybe go take a look at a home or neighborhood one lived in as a child - I have done this myself. What harm is there in that?

Regards,
Carl

 

[lemon-tree]

Google doesn't care about your house, or anyone else's for that matter. I have never had a problem with Google maps because it isn't Google taking the photos, they are just buying the photos from various mapping data provider, so if there is anyone you should have a problem with it is them, not Google. With this data they create a platform through which they can advertise and profit, pure and simple; they also produce a very good free maps API that anyone can develop with. Most of Google's motives can be traced back to simple monetary profit, not some secret spying society nor an interest in spreading rumours about what sites you visit.
As for StreetView, well you can chose to have your data removed anyway, can't remember where but it is definitely possible.
I'm not saying Google is the perfect company, far from it; especially after their Wi-fi packet snatching 'accident'. I just tend not to entrust them with anything private and only give them the bare minimum.

 

[dbanyer]

I find Google's street view really useful, for example when I want to find a good route to walk the dog I can have a look before hand to see if there are any parks etc. I have also used it when looking for rental properties and so on. I am a bit suspicious about the amount of information Google is acquiring - I can see how it would make people nervous, it's a tad "1984".

Well, brave new world....

 

[carl6969]

I will demonstrate how very little I am concerned about my home being posted on the Internet.
Here is a screenshot of one of my homes from Google Street View.

 

[bhupendra2895]

As long as one is not involved with crime or have a important position in government, he don't need to care what US government or google will do with his private information.

Why google alone, we can say every web2.0 site including this can exploit our privacy.Google is providing services and we are not forced to use all of them.It is up to us to select what is good or bad for us.

We can say that google is a big danger if successfully attacked by hackers or if US government takes control of it, we have seen in recent past it was attacked by chinise authorities to get access to the email accounts of those, who are supporting Dalai Lama.

So this all fear is there because http://x10hosting.com/forums/crossfire/125104-we-connected-but-not-united-why.html .

 

[ataarticles]

Obviously there are some positive aspects about using Google Earth, like exploring different cities around the world which i have tried out.

But what you guys fail to realise is that it is also easily available to criminals, murderers and the like.

Thanks to Google Earth this poor elderly lady was tortured to death by a psycho.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ogle-Earth-before-targeting-victims-home.html

Maybe she wasn't aware of how to go about removing her property from Google Earth. Not many people are computer users.

 

[lemon-tree]

The fact of the matter is that if they are dedicated enough to kill someone, then not being able to access an aerial photo is not going to stop them. If Google maps wasn't available to that man, he would have just found a different method, whether that be Yahoo maps or driving past the house. Besides, that article's headline is pretty misleading, it is implying that the whole crime was thought out using Google Earth, whereas once you've read it it becomes obvious that he had visited the house and that the use of the maps was supplementary rather than crucial.
I don't usually defend Google, but it seems you have some vendetta towards them that makes you feel they have singled you out to be 'spied' on. Again, if there is anyone you should be blaming it is the satellite image providers, not the licensees of their data. The data that Google, Yahoo and Bing provide is already available in the public domain and they are just platforms through which it is served.

 

[ataarticles]

The fact of the matter is that if they are dedicated enough to kill someone, then not being able to access an aerial photo is not going to stop them. If Google maps wasn't available to that man, he would have just found a different method, whether that be Yahoo maps or driving past the house. Besides, that article's headline is pretty misleading, it is implying that the whole crime was thought out using Google Earth, whereas once you've read it it becomes obvious that he had visited the house and that the use of the maps was supplementary rather than crucial.
I don't usually defend Google, but it seems you have some vendetta towards them that makes you feel they have singled you out to be 'spied' on. Again, if there is anyone you should be blaming it is the satellite image providers, not the licensees of their data. The data that Google, Yahoo and Bing provide is already available in the public domain and they are just platforms through which it is served.

Well, it certainly made it easy for him. You never know if Google Earth didn't exist he may have changed his mind about targeting this woman.

Oh saying i have a personal vendetta against Google is rather extreme, lol.
It is what i have read, seen on YouTube and other sites which makes me ponder on this topic.
Yahoo and Bing are not as advanced as Google so they don't even come into this discussion.

 

[airdam]

moronic.... google does not care about you, or me.... the computers and spiders just randomly search the internet for information. and if you've ever posted any info about yourself anywhere, its on a server somewhere, and google has viewed it and put tags up on it so that if anyone ever tries to search for you whether it be with good or malicious intentions, the info is available. the government is watching you, google does not.

 

[callumacrae]

Oooooh a photo of my house on google!

I'm sorry, that's now a bad thing?

~Callum

 

[DeadBattery]

Oooooh a photo of my house on google!

I'm sorry, that's now a bad thing?

~Callum

I really like that service. It helps a lot when you are going to a house/business and you have no idea of the area. I usually just save the picture on my iPod along with the directions.

About Google watching people, it doesn't make me not want to use their services.

 

[carl6969]

Oooooh a photo of my house on google!
I'm sorry, that's now a bad thing?
~Callum

Run Away! - Quickly - Hide!
Wait. Never mind. Cannot hide from Google.

 

[carl6969]

I really like that service. It helps a lot when you are going to a house/business and you have no idea of the area. I usually just save the picture on my iPod along with the directions.

Excellent point.
It is a very useful tool that many people find helpful for many legitimate non-criminal reasons.
I think all the paranoia that some people seem to have about this is completely without merit and illogical. A common carpenters hammer is another useful tool used to build homes and businesses. That same hammer could become a deadly weapon in the wrong hands. So, should we fear hammers? Should we ban hammers or even make them illegal? Cameras on cell phones have been used for illegal and immoral purposes. So why not get paranoid and ban those too? Just think about how many everyday tools could be potentially abused for criminal activities. We need to focus on putting criminals way. Not banning the useful tools and services which criminals abuse and use for illegal and / or immoral purposes.

 

[ataarticles]

moronic.... google does not care about you, or me.... the computers and spiders just randomly search the internet for information. and if you've ever posted any info about yourself anywhere, its on a server somewhere, and google has viewed it and put tags up on it so that if anyone ever tries to search for you whether it be with good or malicious intentions, the info is available. the government is watching you, google does not.

I don't need a lecture from a lowlife like you.
Reported for being offensive!
Read forum rules before you get aggressive here. Got it!

---------- Post added at 08:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 AM ----------

Excellent point.
It is a very useful tool that many people find helpful for many legitimate non-criminal reasons.
I think all the paranoia that some people seem to have about this is completely without merit and illogical. A common carpenters hammer is another useful tool used to build homes and businesses. That same hammer could become a deadly weapon in the wrong hands. So, should we fear hammers? Should we ban hammers or even make them illegal? Cameras on cell phones have been used for illegal and immoral purposes. So why not get paranoid and ban those too? Just think about how many everyday tools could be potentially abused for criminal activities. We need to focus on putting criminals way. Not banning the useful tools and services which criminals abuse and use for illegal and / or immoral purposes.

Of course Google has useful tools which i use myself.
Who said anything about banning it? Not me.
Just be careful, is what i'm trying to convey. End of.

 

[justgriz]

Well I found this rather interesting. Silly but interesting.

Those satellites have been up there for a long time. If the government wanted info on anyone...they could get it. If someone was spying - they'd find the info somehow.

The internet alone has made it very easy for people to find out things. Why attack just google? There's all the social networking sites out there..and imo YouTube is worse than Google. Anyone can grab a quick video of a person and post it.

I'd be more concerned about a suspicious person parked near my house than Google Earth. Would I think they were sent by G. E.? I doubt it.

As for airdam being offensive on this thread - I think all it was was an opinion stated. Name calling in return isn't exactly polite.