March 22, 2004

Whether Google ought to obscure information in the name of privacy is a policy issue Google would rather not tackle directly.

In the physical world, you may try hard to separate aspects of your life. You avoid preaching to your co-workers or talking shop at your church meeting. And you remain discreet with both groups about a date you had last weekend. On the Internet, those separate lives merge, thanks to Google.

"Google kind of makes it easy to connect all the dots together," said Richard M. Smith, former chief technology officer at the Privacy Foundation. "I think Google is the biggest privacy invader on the planet, no doubt about it."

It's better, Google co-founder Larry Page said, if the Internet community were to reach consensus -- by deciding whether that information is made public in the first place.

"We're not experts on all possible topics," Page said. "These are hugely controversial, and I don't think it's a good idea for us to set policy."

Search hard enough, and you'll find this reporter's 1995 musings on "The Simpsons" and "Melrose Place," along with news articles translated into French and hints about his hobbies and community activities.

For others, using a name or a phone number, you can find out about membership in churches, softball leagues and parent-teacher organizations. Or perhaps there's an ex-lover or criminal past they would rather forget.

Some people have searched using the term "confidential" to find embarrassing memos. Smith said someone might post a memo using a complex address that only insiders are supposed to know, but somebody else "inadvertently links to it, and then it's ... 'game over.'"

Online Web diaries called blogs can also be revealing as writers publicly complain about their friends and ex-lovers by name.

"To 'google' now means to do some research on that person, and it's common in dating, employment and any situation where a stranger has your name and wants to get to know you," said Jason Catlett, a privacy advocate with Junkbusters Corp.

Google has procedures for removing some items, but if the information is on a Web site you don't control, you're out of luck.

In limited cases, Google will remove links to comply with U.S. and other laws, which Page considers a reflection of the community.

Otherwise, Google suggests taking it up directly with the Web site. Google, he said, only reflects what the community decides to make available.

"Do you not want Google to make information available that's available to other people?" Page asked. "I want to know it's out there on the Web. I don't want Google to censor it."

Source: Boston.com

        

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