Information Madness

Google has once again planned a major revamp of its privacy policy blending some sixty different ones into a single one to combine information provided by users across many of its services. In a span of just four months, Google is doing it again by modifying its privacy policy.

It is getting rid of sixty different privacy policies and replacing them with one that is easier and shorter to read. It will come into effect from 1^St March 2012. The changes would cover Google’s multiple services, products and features. It would include Gmail, Google+, Orkut, YouTube and Picasa. Google has made it clear that they would combine information you have provided from one service, when you are signed in, with information from other services.

Though Google is promising choice and transparency to you, there is no way you can escape from being brought under the new privacy policy. This has raised some concerns among users who are suspicious that Google may invade their privacy by posting ads based on their search behavior and messages. A greater worry is that it will throw open some personal information to public view.

Google has also mentioned under a new tab on its search page, titled `New Policy & Terms’, that users can employ Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager to manage their setting along with other tools. Google Dashboard has information about your Google account and it allows you to change your privacy settings for various Google services and products from one standard location.