BIG BROTHER is watching YOU!

Google opens up about what it knows about you
November 5, 2009 by Matt Hartley
Technology, Tech Desk

Ever wonder what Google knows about you and what you do online? Wonder no more.

Early this morning, Google took the wraps off Google Dashboard, a new site where any user with a Google account -- such as a Gmail address -- can log in and see what information and personal data the search engine powerhouse stores concerning their web habits.

On the one hand, it's a useful starting tool for anyone looking to access multiple Google services, such as Blogger, YouTube or Gmail.

At the same time, however, Dashboard provides a sobering look at just how much technology companies like Google -- as well as other search engines and social networking sites such as Facebook -- know about their users and how much personal information Canadians are trusting to the Internet.

"We think of this as a great step towards giving people transparency and control over their data, and we hope this helps shape the way the industry thinks about these issues," said Alma Whitten, Google software engineer on privacy and security. "It's important for people to be aware of what data they have online and to be able to manage that data--Google Dashboard should help to make this a reality."

Dashboard gives users a peek at the data Google collects and stores whenever they use about 20 of the tech company's Web services, and allows users to easily view and change their privacy settings.

Users can find almost anything about their Google use habits, everything from the number of messages in their Gmail inbox and the spreadsheets in Google Docs to the videos they have saved on YouTube and of course, their search history.

The search history tab, for example, shows the last several Web queries performed from that Google account -- provided the user has turned on that function -- but also includes a link Google's search engine privacy policy and offers users the ability to wipe searches from their history.

So that "Taco Bell menu" search you did at 3 a.m. last night can be easily found and erased.

At the same time, the ability to scroll through your personal search history dating back more than a year can be illuminating to say the least. Wondering what Google searches you were doing the day Michael Jackson died or what you were looking for online on New Year's Eve last year? It's all there.

Most of the items include a tab labeled "privacy and security help" which opens a new page containing information on how a user can change their password, keep certain details private or clear items they might not want others to see.

The service also takes the guesswork out of which aspects of their personal information are public and which stay locked up inside Google's databases. YouTube favourite videos for example, are clearly labeled as public.

For more information on Google Dashboard, here's a video explaining how it works from Google.