Tech & Biz

Google Slammed in Privacy Study

by jordan | June 10, 2007 at 02:54 pm

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As Google grows ever larger, it falls under ever-greater scrutiny. The search giant has garnered the "lowest possible" score in a recent study by Privacy International, who is additionally accusing Google of starting a smear campaign against them. Google's ultimate goal seems to be total online dominance across search, hosting, blogging, advertising, and desktop-software, and users will back away if they feel that their sensitive info is not secure.

In what looks to be brewing into a mutual smear campaign, London-based Privacy International has ranked Google among the worst top Internet sites for privacy protection, and Google is reportedly taking the watchdog group to task.

Privacy International isn't scheduled to officially release its report ranking privacy performance of the top sites until 7 p.m. EDT Saturday. But the Associated Press and other media outlets, who apparently got sneak previews, are reporting that Privacy International assigned Google its lowest possible grade, a category reserved for companies with "comprehensive consumer surveillance and entrenched hostility to privacy."

None of the 22 other companies surveyed--including Yahoo, Microsoft and AOL--sunk to that level, the AP said. The story goes on to quote Google's deputy general counsel who was disappointed with the report, "which is based on numerous inaccuracies and misunderstandings about our services."

While the report isn't yet available on the group's site, there is a statement posted accusing Google of embarking "on a smear campaign within the media to discredit both PI and the report."

"Privacy International will simultaneously publish a detailed open letter to Google and a demand for an apology," the posting reads.