(Updated) Google Contest Changed After it Was Caught Collecting Kids’ Social Security Numbers
- Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:35am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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A Google drawing contest for kids has been changed after some people uncovered an interesting part of the contest’s consent form: in order to submit an entry, kids and parents had to provide the last four digits of the drawer‘s social security number as well as the contestant’s birth year and city of birth. Despite the change, though, some wonder if that information is secure.
While the contest, “Doodle-4-Google,” is meant to tap into the creative side of kids k-12, some wonder if the company is using it to tap into other things. And who might these wild conspiracy theorists be? Not Glenn Beck, as some might think, but rather New York Magazine and a blogger on the Huffington Post.
Bob Bowdon at HuffPo explains why the data collection is so scary:
You see what Google knows and many parents don‘t know is that a person’s city of birth and year of birth can be used to make a statistical guess about the first five digits of his/her social security number. Then, if you can somehow obtain those last four SSN digits explicitly — voila, you‘ve unlocked countless troves of personal information from someone who didn’t even understand that such a disclosure was happening.
Bowdon notes that the form has been changed to strike the SSN question (some even complained to the FTC), but the original form is still appearing on some school websites (Google is partnering with schools for the contest).
After his story was originally published, a Google spokesperson offered the following response:
This year we started accepting doodles from kids even if their school hadn’t registered for the contest. To help us keep entries distinct and remove duplicate entries from any particular student, we asked parents for limited information, including the last 4 digits of a student’s social security number. We later updated our forms when we recognized that we could sufficiently separate legitimate contest entries while requesting less information. To be clear, these last 4 digits were not entered into our records and will be safely discarded.
As for the city of birth:
The city of birth helps us identify whether contestants are eligible for the contest, as winners must be either U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents of the U.S. The information isn’t used for any other purpose.
But that response doesn’t satisfy Bowdon, who wonders:
1.) I’m not much of a conspiracy theorist by disposition, but doesn’t “these last 4 digits were not entered into our records and will be safely discarded,” sound like a contradiction? (How can they delete something that is not in their records?) Even taking just the first part, we‘re supposed to believe Google didn’t enter demographic data that it had been supplied? Isn’t this the same Google that promotes itself as the master of targeted marketing campaigns?
2.) If they simply want to limit the contest to citizens and permanent legal residents, why not ask that question as a “yes/no”? Then, they could ask more specific questions of the winners, right? Instead, Google‘s wants every child’s city of birth upfront? That’s really necessary?
The points seem valid.
As for Google, Bowdon offers the following suggestion: “For internet searches, have you tried Yahoo! or Bing lately? You just might find what you’re looking for.”
Sound familiar?
UPDATE:
A Google representative reached out to The Blaze in response to Bowoden’s two counterpoints. They are listed below:
To be clear, all data concerning students that is collected by Doodle 4 Google is used only to administer the contest. We received this information on paper because parents who downloaded the original Parent Consent form had to print it, fill it out, and mail it to us. The last 4 digits of the social security number were not entered into our contest records, and as indicated, any forms containing this information will be safely discarded.We have asked for city of birth all 4 years of the contest to date, as it helps us determine eligibility. For example, if the city is not in the U.S., we can flag it for possible future follow-up. The question also gives us a higher degree of confidence at this early stage that an actual parent or guardian is completing the form (it‘s easier to check ’Yes’ than to know an actual city of birth). As indicated previously, this information is not used for any other purpose.
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Comments (115)
starman70
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:10amWhere are the government prosecutors who should be looking into this obvious violation of the law? OH YEAH, Google is on the POTUS’ friends list, you can bet that nothing will be done about it.
Report Post »MoonPie
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:09amMy Hubby removed Google from my computer over a year ago. BING works for me.
Report Post »SHvnDave
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:09amInvestigate? Someone should investigate the parents and schoolteachers for being so stupid. I followed alink from a friend this morning until I got to a oogle contest. So, if we must spend someone’s money for yet another investigation, let’s investigate the stupidity of parents and teachers.
Report Post »SHvnDave
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:18amLet me try that again – Do not blame Google. Google has the right to ask for any information they want! They have the right to limit entrance into their contest based on any criteria they, and they alone, choose so long as they do not disobey applicable laws.
Investigate the parents and teachers for not walking away from this contest, and really, drop the teachers out of this – teachers do not/should not have the student’s SS # so we are only talking about the stupidity of parents.
Speaking of investigations, has anyone else noticed that every federal law has money in the law to fund some sort of research (translated – money for college professors)??
Report Post »redbone007
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:08amObama once said, ‘control kids and you control the future to come’
Report Post »homeschoolnetcast
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 8:24pmAt some point the kids of today will the be the leaders of tomorrow. There will always be a changing of the guard.
Report Post »LadyLibertykicksASS
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:03amTime to contact Our Congressmen and Representatives and demand some answers…..Cause this whole thing with Google and the Obama Administration STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN !!!!!!
Report Post »THEUNKNOWNPATRIOT
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:01amSomethin’s definitely not right. Google seems to be coming up waaaay to much lately regarding shady business practices. I bet Beck’s research team is working on this right now.
Report Post »LeroyJethroGibbs
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:58amYou need more proof of citizenship for this contest than you need to be President ?
Report Post »rumple
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:58amI stopped using google months ago due to this kind of information. I use bing now.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:56amGoogle in, Garbage out…Badda “Bing”
Report Post »kayaker35
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:56amI’ve switched to Bing, and I’ve also switched my email to hotmail from gmail. I want nothing to do with Google.
Report Post »MyAgendaIsTruth
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:55amI have always used Google for everything. But lately I just started used Bing for the first time. I don’t like any company that has so much info on me.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 11:29amYou might give blekko a try – it is open source: http://blekko.com/
I saw a reference to ixquick as well – they claim not to collect information. I am beginning to hate google almost as much as microsoft (bing) you may be changing one ‘bad’ company for another.
Report Post »mullet
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 1:54pmBetter start boycotting your bank, your doctor, your insurance, your job, and your mother in law.
Report Post »_waTson_
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 2:32pm@ Mullet
I’ve already boycotted the bank the mother-in-law and google. I boycotted Obama too but I’m still not getting far on that one .. GRRRRRR.
Report Post »Blazing
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:54amUh…on the right hand column of this page of the Blaze are “ads by Google”….what is this about?
Report Post »LAM2
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 11:11amDuring a recent radio show segment, Glenn indicated that he would like to do away with using Google, but his company has some contractual obligations that preclude him from doing so completely.
Report Post »RobR
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:50amGoogle & the Obama administration perfect ( storm ) together.
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:50amWhat a total line of BS excuses!!!
Is Glenn right about Google? Hum, even some on the left is starting to wake up.
Report Post »jbl8199
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:49amSurprise, surprise.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:49amAfter all that Google has been caught doing. I really think its time to quit fining them and make them shut down for six months or so. They are like Gates and Microsoft. They can pay fines all day long. But you start making them shut down for three to six months at a time. Then that’s going to hurt them. Paying fines aren’t fixing the problem, its just a way of paying off the politicians to let them keep operating.
Report Post »mullet
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 1:44pmWhy doesn’t the government just shut down any company or media outlet that it wants…this sounds like good policy, no way that corruption would cause problems here.
Report Post »jonaf
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:48amI’ve always been surprised by how willing people are to put their entire life story online – through Facebook, personal blogs (of which I’m guilty) and other purchases. Identity theft is easy, and even if you’re protecting yourself, people often forget to cover the kids. If someone steals your child’s identity, it’s often not discovered until years later.
Jon
Report Post »http://www.gutfeelingbook.com
SEC777
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:48amA lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Move along to the real issues, Blaze.
Report Post »moreteaplease
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:59amJust curious as to why you don’t consider this an issue?
Report Post »SEC777
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 11:47amWhen you’ve got country after country exploding into anarchy, when you have millions of babies who are being murdered, when you have homelessness and joblessness everywhere you look, I find it hard to be mad at a group that is trying to promote something good in children. If google wanted to get a bunch of social security numbers, they’d get them, but not like this.
Report Post »mullet
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 12:59pmIts an interesting piece and should be kept, but I agree that its being overblown. Google may have its faults, but how can the same people who decry the size of government on the same site say that the government should punish a company for allowing people to voluntarily release information about themselves? This is ridiculous, if you don’t like Google, don’t use it. If they tick people off, they will lose marketshare and cease to be viable. DO NOT have the already oversized government do something that YOU should have the courage to do.
Side note: I use Google for almost absolutely everything, and I assume that my actions are tracked no matter what “search engine” I use. When you are on the internet you are in public just like you were on a street, and what you do can and will be monitored.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:48amGoogle is starting to remind me of the riddler character in Batman 2. Collecting everyone’S personal information because if knowledge is power then they want to be GOD.
Report Post »Republic Under God
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:48amI am so glad I was made very aware of Social Security fraud in high school!
Report Post »Just_a_regular_guy
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:48amAll I can say is WOW. I don’t remember seeing this on the news stations!
Report Post »akelso
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:48amYes, snowleopard, I love Google, but I’m disturbed by the incoming stories about them and the intrusive liberties they take. I don’t do business with anyone, unless it’s the government, or state agency, with my SS #. If they require it, I find myself somewhere else.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 11:25amYou might want to give blekko a try: http://blekko.com/
Report Post »Seewhatchaget
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:44amChanging my search bar to Bing! Though google does have best search engine.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:26amI used Bing. Not happy with it. Changed to ixquick. (Notice how Bing advertised? Wonder why?)
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:28amMeant to add that ixquick is every bit as good or is better than Google.
I found out about it from some people who write for the Internet. They told me to use Foxfire (Firefox?) for the Internet and ixquick for the search engine.
Report Post »home_of_the_brave
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:44amInvestigate Google Already!!
Report Post »o2bme
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 1:14pmIt wouldn’t do any good. They’re in bed with the White House remember?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:38amAnyone else smell something fishy here?
Report Post »home_of_the_brave
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:49amSnow this chills me to the bone. They need to be investigated. I feel like cattle being round up for slater and we’re to dumb to see it till they put the air gun to our head.
Report Post »home_of_the_brave
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:50amSlaughter, not slater, (autocorrect)
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:51amscrew you google. Hello bing!
Oh, God!
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 9:53amYeah, I do or did. My kids brought home a flyer from their parochial school about this contest. I told them ‘no’ they were not going to enter. I explained to my 10 and 7 year old that I did not trust Google nor did I think this was important in their learning. My daughter, 10, then says, “Well you use Google on your computer, how is that different?” I told her, I have no choice, but I am not going to give Google your information to use for whatever reason and if there was another search engine I could use, then I would switch, i.e. a search engine that worked as well.
Report Post »EP46
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:06amHey Snow…how about obama joins the contest….give us the last 4 digits, year of birth, and city of birth, and let’s see if it matches up !!!lol
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:12amThis is incredible!!!! Yeah sure they are not going to use them,,,,,, I refuse to use Google since last July because I kept hearing about them meeting with Obama. @ __Oh God have you tried using Bing? I have great results with them.
Report Post »GEW
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:12amwhos going to investigate them, our current administration? Google is at the WH as much as the Unions are, and Google knows they are safe.
Report Post »Oh, God!
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:16am@ SISSYKATZ-I have not yet, but am changing it today. Thanks!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:23amNot with ixquick. Go to http://www.ixquick.com and see for yourself. It‘s the world’s most private search engine.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:33amHey ABC…..where is your mocking retort now when I told you if you didn’t think Google was collecting personal info. you were naive……Your response yeah that I like to ski rather than do something else. You are so inconsistent it is funny.
Report Post »DashRipRock
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:34amLet me see if I have got this right
You have to have a SS number to enter a “DOODLE ” contest
but you dont have to have an ID to:
VOTE
GET A JOB
or BUY A HOUSE
liberal idiots
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:49amWhy do I get the sneaking suspicion that Google is going to be helping the Obama Adminstration to recruit for it’s fantasic new Youth Corps? It’s as simple as gathering marketing-type data – direct internet contact without parent’s approval/knowledge in most cases.
Report Post »jeffp605
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 10:56amSee Google and the Huffers post are not connected to the Pres . See see it’s right here this story proves it
Report Post »Dale
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 11:18amI, like Glenn, have been cautious using google products. I now use BLEKKO, on open source search engine – you might want to give it a try: http://blekko.com/
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 12:15pmIs Google preparing to sell these kids Social Security numbers to illegal immigrants?
Report Post »BloodSweatandTears
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 1:06pmOf course this is what it’s all about. Even Facebook is all about the self proclaimed info. Google, shameless.
Report Post »_waTson_
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 2:20pmAfter listening to Glenn Beck’s show the other evening and doing some investigation I decided to remove google from my computer. What upset me was the Google excecutive in Egypt coupled with the preferential treatment with Government contracts. I did my own homework and Google is out.
I‘m a Bing’R now!!! So, BING this Google!
Report Post »Deozaan
Posted on February 23, 2011 at 6:01pmBefore you folks start promoting Bing, you might want to look at this: https://ssl.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbwssl.cgi?Gw=bing+uses+google
Basically, Bing uses Google’s results. Hmmm…
I myself use http://scroogle.org/ which also uses Google’s results, but allow Google to get my personal information.
Report Post »UPSETVET
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 5:17amYes, it smells more fishy that the Fulton Street Fish Market. While our American inteligence community seems to rely on the media for it’s misinformation, you can be sure our government is using all it’s inteligence gathering resources and capabilities to have a thick file on every American citizen. Hey, if the King James Bible and ALL the other English translations of the Holy Scriptures can be put on one single CD, just stop and think what could and is being done by our current government against it’s citiozens.
Report Post »Redistributor
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 11:34amGoogle Gets Space at NASA Airport for $1.3 Million; Google cruises around WiFi hotspots secretly collecting personal data; Google exes facilitate Eygpt uprise…no nothing is fishy here. They are just an advertising company.
Report Post »Miketheplumber
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 7:39amthat is more info. than you need to run for President. and yes it STINKS
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