Google updates their privacy policies and terms of service

By Sam Koutroulakis
on 25 Jan, 2012

Google has decided to update their privacy policies across all of their products, and condense them into a single policy. This updated document will better clarify how users information is stored and treated within their different services and products. Yes, this not only includes their web based services, but Android OS as well. Anywhere you login to your Google Account, this new policy will most likely apply.

Their Terms of Service will also see an overhaul as well. Instead of seeing a long boring set of legal documentation, it will be reformatted as an easy read for the average user. It has already been written, and will be effective March 1, 2012. These updates will hopefully spur other companies to follow suit. Why shouldn’t the average user be able to easily read what he/she is agreeing to? Sure it helps to know lawyer-speak, but it shouldn’t be a requirement.

The YouTube clip Google provided is a perfect example of how and when Google shares the information stored in your Google Account. Having over 60 services with different policies could confuse anyone – especially when the services are so tightly tied together. It will also be nice to know that from here moving forward, a change to their new universal policy will be easier to spot.

[via Official Google Blog]

http://owlviews.wordpress.com/ Owl Views

I got the idea that they are narrowing stuff down so we all get what they are saying in those privacy policies, but a video as well… are they assuming we are all iDiots ? ~_~
- Bmitravich
  
  They are assuming that some people would better understand the policy.
http://twitter.com/1000HuesOfGrey Kou Chris

Google continues to scare me. I want a seperate cookie for youtube and gmail, and Google. is that too much to ask? All my personal information in one “box” is a little to much.. Laws should be written to protect us.
http://www.goodsoundproofing.com/ david mabry

The positive side is users won’t have to read many pages of policies. But I do concern the security issue especially the email. Well if you use gmail for business purpose then do not use same account to use the other products. I always have gmail on one browser and browsing and googling with the other browsers….
Anniekni1

I don’t want new fees. What happens to Pandora? Hidden stuff in this contract means a no vote for me.