Google Bigger than the *.gov
Has Big Brother Privatized?
Is it just me or does Google have its hand in every facet of our lives? It knows everything we search, everything we click once searched, time of use, and based on how we use it, it can more than likely deduce your race and more.
People freak out (the left) at the idea of the .gov exceeding its powers, and over shadowing privacy rights, but really, what’s the difference?
Today Google announces that soon it will store patient data that can be accessed any time the patient wishes. This gives Doctors immediate access to health records- this sounds great. But add it all up- what does Google not know? Google knows more about you than you do, and when you do it.
To me, it appears that Big Brother has privatized and we’re okay with it. I’m just sayin.
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This article published on Thursday, February 21st, 2008 at 7:09 pm | Contact the editor
Topics: Ethics
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AGBeat Founder, Director: I’ve dedicated the past two decades to consumerism in and out of the real estate space. I help focus corporations on consumerism, consumer needs and trends, and what consumers find valuable. I hope you enjoy AG, and that you will reach out if I can help your company or association communicate it’s value.
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One of their founders gave his wife a wedding gift of millions of dollars invested into her new biotech company all about researching the human genome. Sounds like they want to index our genes too, gosh I hope I rank in the top 10!
Word… It’s all about dominating the genome SERPS.
I have never cared if Google stalks my activities or even suggests to me what I like. But for my health records to be Google-ized? No thanks- we have to draw the line somewhere. Benn makes a good point- if you transpose the word Government for Google, people would be FREAKING OUT!
the difference is: when it is private, a citizen can opt in or out by using or not using the service. when it is government they require citizens to use the service.
I am very torn on this issues.
On the one side, I agree with the Google/Government replacement idea and don’t like any “Big Brother” ideas as much as I can avoid them. Very much so.
On the other side, my wife works in medical billing so I learn from her and firsthand experience how messed up and inefficient the health care industry is in the US.
So if Google can build a data interoperability and storage system that can be proven to be very safe and secure AND helps build extreme efficiencies into the healthcare system, I may be open to it.
c, you can opt in and out for somethings, but just as the cookies tell the a website where you are so that ads can open tailored to your area, it’s already now targeting products to you based on the page choice you just made- could you imagine having cancer, opening a page unrelated and seeing an ad for chemo treatment centers of america? Did you opt in for that one? On the surface it’s all to advertise to you more effectively but the data needed to get that precision is our most guarded personal secrets- and it’s in the hands of a private company, for sale to the highest bidder. Google has done nothing to breech the public trust so really this is just food for conversation, but honestly, it bugs me that people so blindly trust technology companies as if no motive were in play.
Google does:
phones
docs
healthcare
cookie tracking
mapping
gps tracking
trend tracking
profile gathering
thought gathering – sm
I know I’m missing more, this is the short list
and here I only thought it was a search engine. I know you opt in for one or two of those, but I didn’t opt in to have my home seen from orbit and given to the public as an example.
Nick, point well taken, and this should be done privately, but my point is a company with this much data now has your health records as a data point.
Benn,
I agree with this: it bugs me that people so blindly trust technology companies as if no motive were in play.
My point, however, remains that you don’t have to use Google, or you can use Adblock and NoScript, or don’t allow cookies to be accepted – you can opt out. If you tried, however, not paying taxes, or driving without a license, or going against something else the government mandated – well, you can’t opt out of those things.
Ya dig?
I get it, but do they. I don’t think people give it any thought.
then i am glad you made this post to help shine the light on this issue.
Ben – my biggest concern about health records getting out there is I fear that information will be used “against’ people versus for them.
We live in the densest over 60yrs old population US city and one of the things we struggle with is.. the abilitiy to scan for the risk of future diseases – on the good side it sounds great because you could do preventative things however the cynic in my says once that info is attached to YOU… how does it not get used to deny insurance based on the info. It makes me very uncomfortable and I don’t trust it not to be used against people. Very thought provoking post.
“Freak out” alert (from the left, right, and the middle) On the topic of the Government and your privacy. NEVER RELENT!