5 things you should know about Google’s new privacy policy

With all of the buzz surrounding Google’s new privacy policy, you may be confused about the exact changes and how they will affect your internet usage. The bottom line is, the changes aim to improve the services that Google offers by making your Google experience more personalized.

The notification box that lets users know Google's privacy policy is changingHere are five things that everyone should know about the changes that will come occur when Google’s new policy takes effect on the 1st of March.

5. Google will gather information across all of its platforms

Google’s new policy puts the majority of its platforms into one privacy policy. Through this policy, Google will be able to put together a more holistic view of each user, as it can track one user’s data across all of its platforms together.

For you as user, this means that all of Google’s platforms will be more closely integrated than before and will allow you to work across multiple platforms at once more easily. Some critics however say that Google trying to create a ‘cauldron of data’ of its users.

4. You’ll see more personalized search results and advertisements

Since Google will be able to get a more complete view of you as a user, it will be using this information to personalize your internet experience more than ever before.

For example, this means that Google will tailor advertisements and search results to suit your specific needs, correct frequent spelling errors in search queries, remind you of appointments about which you may have forgotten, provide you with a suggested contact list, and much more. You can also contribute to the personalization of your internet experience by using features like the Ads Preference Manager to take control of what kind of advertisements you see.

These changes should help to improve user experience, as well as Google’s profits, as users are more likely to click on ads more relevant to them.

3. The more Google services you use the more you should benefit from the changes

Because Google will rely on your user information across all of its platforms to determine what type of advertisements, search results, and more are best for you, the more Google services you use, the more improvements you will be likely to see.

This is because if you use a host of Google services, such as all of those included in Google Apps, Google will be able to get the most complete picture of who you are, what you look for online, and how you generally use the internet. To track your usage of Google services, you can use the Google Dashboard to see your activity as a Google user.

2. You can still use Google services without it logging your data

Although allowing Google to learn information about your online usage will provide a more personalized experience, there may be times when you don’t want Google to collect certain information about you.

In these instances, you can utilize Google tools like “off the record” chat in Gmail and the “incognito window” in the Google Chrome web browser to ensure that all of your data will not be logged by Google.

However it is thought that Google will try to persuade users to remain logged in and connected through their Google profile, more of the time.

1. Google believes the new policy will allow it to better meet your needs

Google redid its privacy policy because it believes the changes will enable it to offer each individual user a more tailored, better experience of the web. In summary, Google is hoping to meet your needs better and faster by learning who you are and what you look for online.

What do you think about the proposed changes? Do you think you will benefit?

17 thoughts on “5 things you should know about Google’s new privacy policy

    • Christopher (admin team)

      That is true David, it is being very open, but imagine the uproar there would be if it wasn’t and then just implemented the new policies.

  1. Thanks for making this as simple as possible.

    Frankly, I’ve not taken time to read through the new policy though I received a message about it some time ago.

    However, for me I believe Google knows what they are doing. We have seen a whole lot of changes recently from Google and this one is just a part of it. It simply tells us that Google is strengthening its operations and putting everything into one place is just the right thing for them.

    • Christopher (admin team)

      I am like you Chadrack, I invest a lot of my trust in Google, rightly or wrongly, I fell that they are an ethical and moral company. They are so big though it would be hard for them to do something really bad without a massive media fuss.

  2. I cannot help but suspect that their aim is merely to sell more advertising for more money, and that no good at all can come from collecting all of this data. The positive spin is merely marketing.

    • Christopher (admin team)

      I would agree with you Jonny, but ask yourself this, Sergey Brin and Larry Page are already really really rich, so they probably aren’t still working because they need the money, but because they enjoy working for Google.

      This makes me think that they are more likely to do what is good for consumers/users. I suppose they probably still have the interests of the business at heart though, their aim is to grow it and make it as big and profitable as possible.

      I don’t really know what their aim is to be honest, but I like to think that they have users in mind, every time they make changes. Maybe we could get an interview with them one day when we are big enough 😉

  3. Eliza D. Arbogast

    Hi Sharon,

    This is a great review. Well the changes that google made have two sides the negative and the positive side. This is the positive side. I have some things that I don’t like about the changes but this are the things that I have seen that are good. Thanks for posting this.

    • Christopher (admin team)

      An update on this Eliza: regulators in France have launched a Europe-wide investigation, as they do not approve of the new policies, and wonder if they are even legal!

    • Christopher (admin team)

      It is amazing how many people don’t really take an interest in things like this Jill! I know so many people who click the ‘dismiss’ button and didn’t really care, it is always good to take an interest 🙂

      Thanks for the feedback, welcome to the Technology Bloggers community!
      Christopher – Admin Team

      • I’ll admit I’m guilty of hitting the “dismiss” button from time to time, but I make a note to go back and read the policies when I have more time to do so. It never fails to amaze me how many people will blindly sign things (or accept online agreements) without even glancing at the terms and conditions first. Shouldn’t you be somewhat aware of what’s going on?

        Now, if only terms and conditions could be written in plain English for all to understand (instead of having bizarre jargon)…I can dream. 😉

        And thanks! Glad to be here!!

        • Christopher (admin team)

          “Now, if only terms and conditions could be written in plain English for all to understand (instead of having bizarre jargon)…I can dream. ;)” – I agree with you there! Make them simple and easy to read, if not, write a simple one for users, and then say ‘for this in full detail, please see this document…’
          Good idea 🙂

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