Technology

Should We Be Concerned About Google‘s New ’Search, Plus Your World’?

On Tuesday, we reported Google launched a search function — Google, plus Your World — which incorporates information from Google+ into your regular web searches. Almost immediately after Google began automatically rolling out this feature, there was criticism.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center is saying it may file a letter of complaint to the Federal Trade Commission because, although the new search function allows users to opt out of having personal information show up in their results, it doens’t give users the ability to “opt out of having their information found through Google search” by others.

Search Plus Your World Toggle

Google provides users with the option to show or not to show personal results in searches.

The LA Times blog has more from EPIC’s Executive Director Marc Rotenberg:

“Google is an entrenched player trying to fight off its challenger Facebook by using its market dominance in a separate sector,” Rotenberg said. “I think that should trouble people.”

Critics also say the move raises alarm bells for consumer privacy.

“Although data from a user’s Google+ contacts is not displayed publicly, Google’s changes make the personal data of users more accessible,” EPIC said in a note on his website.

Twitter has taken issue with the search function as well, issuing this strong statement yesterday:

For years, people have relied on Google to deliver the most relevant results anytime they wanted to find something on the Internet.

Often, they want to know more about world events and breaking news. Twitter has emerged as a vital source of this real-time information, with more than 100 million users sending 250 million Tweets every day on virtually every topic. As we’ve seen time and time again, news breaks first on Twitter; as a result, Twitter accounts and Tweets are often the most relevant results.

We’re concerned that as a result of Google’s changes, finding this information will be much harder for everyone. We think that’s bad for people, publishers, news organizations and Twitter users.

Tech Crunch’s Josh Constine points to an example used by Google itself to show how finding what you really want could become harder with this new search function:

Take Google’s own example. Before the changes, if I search for “Trey Ratcliff”, his Google+ profile is the 5th result. If I type in “Trey Ra”, Trey Ratcliff’s Wikipedia entry appears in the typeahead. As shown above after the changes, just typing in “Trey R” will surface his profile in the typeahead, and may push out his Wiki page. Personalization is fine, but the juiced Google+ profile results are too aggressive. They could push people to opt out of personalization entirely (in your Google Search settings), try Bing, or coerce businesses into focusing on G+.

Sure, there are use cases where this could be helpful, like if I’m actively trying to find the Google+ profile of someone with a common name that I’m connected to through friends. But honestly, if that’s specifically what I’m looking for I would have just searched within Google+.

Google Search Plus Your World

Google Search, Plus Your World example.

The Federal Trade Commission, attorneys general in six states, and the European Commission are looking into complaints alleging Google has been unfairly exploiting its dominance in Internet search to promote its other services while ignoring or downplaying pertinent information about its rivals.

The exclusive Plus recommendations in Google’s search results are “exactly the kind of thing that the antitrust people are screaming about,” said Danny Sullivan, an industry expert who has been following Google since the 1990s and is now editor of SearchEngineLand.com. “This is very un-Google like. It‘s unfair to other services and it’s unfair to people.”

Sullivan‘s criticism is especially striking because he has generally defended other search features that highlight Google’s own services.

In its announcement yesterday, Google stated that privacy and transparency measures were taken into account with Search, plus Your World. First, when a user is logged into their Google+ account for these types of searches to take place, it is secured by SSL encryption. Google also provides a toggle for users to choose to eliminate any personal results from their search. Google describes the efforts it made as “unprecedented transparency and control over personal search results.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Comments (41)

  • tiredofprogressives
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:43am

    Whenever you or I do a google search it immediately goes into the government database because of the “Patriot Act”.

    Report Post » tiredofprogressives  
    • VoteBushIn12
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:48am

      That’s something we call “not true”

      When you do a Google search it goes into Google’s private databases which the Government has no access to.

      You should change your name to “tired of intelligence”

      Report Post » VoteBushIn12  
  • UrbanCombatSurvivor
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 4:08pm

    Firefox with the NoScript add-on. DISALLOW any google scripts, and it’s much more difficult for them to track you. Not impossible, mind, but more difficult.

    Report Post »  
  • VoteBushIn12
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:40pm

    Are you saying corporations in the free market don’t have the right to be evil? Are you saying you would like to see the government more closely regulate Google? Are you saying that Google somehow has a responsibility to only return the most relevant information all the time?

    Clearly, I think this article is hogwash and I know Google has nothing but goodness in their hearts – but even IF it were true, who are we to regulate what they do?

    Report Post » VoteBushIn12  
  • robinakilt
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:55pm

    Why would you even ask these questions of a company that has the slogan “Don’t be evil” They are one of the most evil corporations in the world. They are 10 times worse than Microsoft ever was. The difference Google kneels at the altar of the White House so the get a break…..follow the money that is all you have to do.

    Report Post » robinakilt  
  • SFsuper49er
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:25pm

    Big brother is getting worse everyday. Anything involved with government ,get rid of it. They are not your friends.

    Report Post »  
  • Old_Bones
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:21pm

    Remember, it is the user who choses to provide personal information to Google. I would suggest people take personal responsibility for protecting their privacy and not use what are potentially and practically public data systems, for storing their private information.

    Even if you knew my true identity, you could not google me.

    Report Post » Old_Bones  
  • gemmeri
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:32pm

    Oh, it’s just soooo unfair that Google might actually be preferable to Facebook or Twitter… Maybe some of us are tired of trying to wade through all the crap generated by fourteen, fifteen & sixteen year old trolls. The Internet was already full of irrelevant tripe prior to this move by Google, I don’t see that Facebook or Twitter has any legitimate gripes here, sounds more like sour grapes instead. Afraid of a little competition? Or is it you’re afraid they might provide a better service to the people who actually pay the bills? Or is the whole Internet thing deteriorating to the point where no one will want to utilize it? Only time will tell… I already don’t like some features of the so-called search engines & I am tired of irrelevant data & blogs that clogs & items featuring all inclusive search terminology. The Internet could have been a really cutting-edge service for worldwide communication & knowledge, but if it turns into even more of a circus than it already is, then I can live without it. It still doesn’t measure up to a good book & I don’t appreciate having my research disrupted by corrupting influences of any kind.

    Report Post »  
  • searching for the Truth
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 12:59pm

    Of course it’s unfair and it invades privacy – Don’t worry Congress will take care of it .

    Report Post »  
  • Workforit
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:28am

    Here is what I think to be a good alternative to google…

    http://gibiru.com/

    If you have a multiple monitor system and are able to compare results… You might be surprised at what you find. I know I was!

    Report Post »  
    • midwesthippie
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:10am

      expect government regulation of the internet thanks to google

      Report Post » midwesthippie  
    • Cerealface
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:32am

      Socialists. OMG IT’S UNFAIR!!!!
      I’m crying foul! Fun things are UNFAIR!

      Report Post » Cerealface  
  • Cymry
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:15am

    1. In order to form a more perfect global government, you need a weak America.
    2. barry (bad cop) obama and mitt (good cop) romney (globalists both) are on the same team.
    3. google, “hackers” breaking into privately held databases and other data tracking programs are the anti-christ’s rolodex.

    Report Post » Cymry  
  • Cymry
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:05am

    America, you’ve been seriously played.
    1. It is impossible to have a NWO/Global Government/(Call it what you will), with a strong America.
    2. barry “bad cop” obama and mitt “good cop” romney are on the same team.
    3. God is our only hope, pray.

    Report Post » Cymry  
  • LovinUSA
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:29am

    Another Kenyan kings sneaky way to get into your life. Please Barry, take a long walk off a short pier.

    Report Post » LovinUSA  
  • poorrichard09
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 8:59am

    Don’t forget-googles ceo is on 0bummers “business advisors” group along with the likes of jeff imelt (GE) and other crony corpratists, so they’ll probably get away with it. BIG brother 0bummer could be watching you soon!

    Report Post »  
  • MR_ANDERSON
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 7:51am

    I use Google Chrome for the most part. I also have other browsers and I am aware of other search engines, but there isn’t much use for them. Google is best search engine PERIOD.

    Fact remains…unless you are doing stuff you don’t want you mom to know about then why do you really care. I mean I guess if info was released that Glenn Beck was watching old episodes of Pee-wee’s playhouse that it might hurt his image, but does that really matter…he’d just cry it off and everything would be OK.

    If you work in the IT field I understand, because having multiple browsers to verify operation of programs/viewing capabilities is needed. Additionally, you might have a job like mine that has websites that do not work with some browsers. There are also times that I have had website issues that have been resolved by using a different browser.

    Seriously, if you have a problem with thinking you are being tracked, then just hold down the “ALT” key and the “F4” key and everything will right itself.

    Also start trying this: http://www.theblaze.com/user/?action=logout

    Report Post »  
    • Wolf
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:06am

      Righhhhttt… and if you’re not doing anything wrong then you have nothing to fear from the government.
      Wake up and smell the coffee, MrA.

      Report Post »  
    • Abraham Young
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 9:56am

      I seem to recall the Gestapo saying the same thing.

      Report Post »  
  • skitrees
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:57am

    Use duckduckgo (or ddg.gg)

    Report Post »  
  • Pat Alexander
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 6:14am

    I removed Google from my list of search engines yesterday.

    They have passed over from slightly creepy to scaring the he*l out of me…

    The anti-trust division is obviously looking the other way.

    Report Post »  
  • Chet Hempstead
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:53am

    I just use Google classic and don’t bother with Plus. For people who know how to use words and have some idea of what they are looking for, it’s still the most efficient way to find information quickly.

    Report Post »  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 5:35am

      I use dogpile. It says it doesn’t collect user information.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • timola
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 2:20am

    - Always signOUT of google before doing searches, especially if using chrome. That’s about as safe as you can get.
    - Use a different email account for email other than gmail.
    - Don’t put all your information data into one basket.
    - Do not connect your facebook outside of facebook.
    - IP addresses can still be marketed to with ads, but not much can be done there.
    Just don’t O.D. on social networks. They don’t all have to be connected.

    Report Post » timola  
    • AB5r
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 12:54pm

      But even if you sign out, they could “assume” that the person searching from the same IP address is the person who just signed out. They could then add those searches to their databases with a flag indicating less probability of being that person but included nevertheless.

      Report Post » AB5r  
  • Brooke Lorren
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:52am

    As a content producer, it’s very annoying whenever Google makes these big changes. I haven’t seen their search engines improve that much, yet they like to mess with the income of people making the stuff that people read on the internet.

    Report Post »  
  • MidwestMomof3
    Posted on January 12, 2012 at 12:31am

    Aaaaannnnddd there goes my Google+ account (and don’t even bother…this is the only site I use this name with…heh)

    Report Post » MidwestMomof3  
  • AB5r
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:36pm

    At some point it will be possible for people to record their entire life. God already does that in his supercomputer, but for humans to do that will create problems. The normal life involves forgetting some things so they don’t bother you, well that won’t be possible anymore. People should think three times before putting their whole life story out on Facebook and all the rest of the sites. This desire to eliminate the barrier between personal and public is really bizarre. People are going to regret it.

    Report Post » AB5r  
    • FlowerBell
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:45am

      We can’t even imagine all the implications of having our entire “past” accessible to everyone in the future. Better be good, there is no running away from yourself now.

      Report Post » FlowerBell  
    • common cents
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 11:48am

      If I’m not mistaken, the Bible says that in the last days, people would be setting themselves up as God, Does this mean recording ones actions, to later be used to judge them?

      Report Post »  
  • Gold Coin & Economic News
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:23pm

    I’m guessing Google will destroy themselves soon, It seems as though they’ve given themselves over to just ******* people off and ruining businesses lately and are completely taking advantage of the people who helped them build their empire.

    The internet is still very young in businesses terms and we have a long way to go until it matures and Google may just go the way many a search engine has in the past. The more they tweak and move away from what they started out to be, the more people will move away from them. Success has gotten to their heads and they may just start cannibalizing themselves soon.

    Report Post » Gold Coin & Economic News  
    • AB5r
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:38pm

      Amazon maintained their position. Google will be very difficult to dislodge even if they do continue to overreach. They can always pull back when some venture goes wrong, money is no object for them. If there is a backlash, they can retreat. But the databases they are building up, well, it is scary to think about it.

      Report Post » AB5r  
  • KangarooJack
    Posted on January 11, 2012 at 10:44pm

    I Bing.

    Report Post » KangarooJack  
    • phillipwgirard
      Posted on January 11, 2012 at 11:08pm

      I have been on google, but now I’m not that sure,,,

      Report Post » phillipwgirard  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 3:57am

      I don’t Bing because I don’t trust Microsoft. I assume whatever Google is doing that I don’t like, they must be doing something even worse and just not telling us.

      Report Post »  
    • Mr. H.
      Posted on January 12, 2012 at 1:35pm

      I Blekko…

      Report Post »  

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