Do not fool yourselves about the privacy issues -- Google is tracking you. They, like yahoo, have formed partnerships with many coporate entities to share information. For the most part this is for content oriented targetted marketing (i.e., matching advertising on your web pages to your personal interests). Most of this is done with intrusive cookies, but some is done by actually scanning email or posting content for words.
If you read the terms of service agreements that you must accept in order to use the services you will begin to get a better picture. Two primary examples: Gmail scans the content of your email for keywords to link to marketing -- that is why the ads on the page match to the contents of the messages. Yahoo has inserted a beacon cookie that not only tracks your immediate moves but all of your web activity for this purpose unless you specifically opt out of this through a click in the service agreement. (This is one reason I always open new web pages in new windows rather than surfing through only one window continuously - the entire history is likely tracked everywhere you land) Keeping detailed histories in your web browsers is not only convenient for you, but for others who are "watching" you. Most of the information sharing is for corporate marketing and service improvement, but it can also be used to identify "problematic" uses of the web. While they say they only share the information with legal and government authorities if asked (some require legal enforcement, some do not) the possibility exists that if you travel to inappropriate places too often it may kick some flags in some systems. It is also part of the reason for the latest moves to unlimited free email accounts -- recent changes in some of the privacy laws in the US will allow enforcement to search these accounts and they count on people not deleting email if there are no storage limits. It all sounds very conspiratorial and paranoid, but it is all there. You make your choices. There is a lot to be gained by allowing information about you to be tracked in terms of service improvements and simplicity, but it does also allow for other more "big brother" analysis. It speaks very strongly to the US value that "people should not have a problem being watched if they have nothing to hide" -- it is a twisted belief with which I personally am not completely comfortable. All of that said, I had no problem signing up at google once I accepted that I was allowing myself to be tracked to their desire. I like that I will be able to read the content in a threaded format - I just have to first accept that in order to do this they will scan the content! Make no bones about it, your email is being read (or at least scanned for word use). -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:g-list@mail.maclaunch.com> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com
