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Congress Pushes Google to Give Answers on Privacy Policy Changes

Aine Creedon
February 3, 2012

February 1, 2012; Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation | Last week Google announced its new privacy policy to the public, which will be effective on March 1, 2012. Google will be shifting towards a simpler, more unified policy. This transition has been praised by many professionals, including Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner. The new policy consists of a laundry list of changes, but the biggest change that will go into effect is an integration of personal data on Google with other Google products. For example, Google will be able to use data they collected to customize users’ YouTube experience.

Although most of these changes have been commended by experts, the Electronic Frontier Foundation saw their public explanation as very ambiguous and they were not alone. Eight Representatives from Congress wrote to Google, informing them that their announcement left unanswered questions and to provide details on the new policy. Their voices were surely heard, since Google responded on Monday with a response letter providing clear-cut answers to the holes left in their previous statement. EEF provides a simple and coherent explanation of what the new privacy policy will change and is worth a read. EEF also diminished one of the public’s main concerns on not having control over how their personal data is shared, and reiterated that Google users will still be able to create a divide between Google search, YouTube, and other products, since there is an option to set up numerous accounts.

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One question still lingering is why it took a letter from Congress to coax Google into providing the public with straightforward answers on their new policy. –Aine Creedon

About the author
Aine Creedon

Aine Creedon is Nonprofit Quarterly's Director of Digital Operations and has worn many hats at NPQ since 2011. She has extensive experience with social media, communications and outreach in the nonprofit sector, and spent two years in Americorps programs serving with a handful of nonprofits across the nation as well as a community organization in Dorchester, Boston. Aine currently resides in Denver, Colorado where she enjoys volunteering, seeing live music, and hiking with her pups Frida and Tucker.

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