[Infowarrior] - Google chief: only miscreants worry about net privacy

[Richard Forno]

Google chief: only miscreants worry about net privacy

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/07/schmidt_on_privacy/
'If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it'

By Cade Metz in San Francisco • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 7th December 2009 19:56 GMT

If you're concerned about Google retaining your personal data, then  
you must be doing something you shouldn't be doing. At least that's  
the word from Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you  
shouldn't be doing it in the first place," Schmidt tells CNBC,  
sparking howls of incredulity from the likes of Gawker.

But the bigger news may be that Schmidt has actually admitted there  
are cases where the search giant is forced to release your personal  
data.

"If you really need that kind of privacy, the reality is that search  
engines - including Google - do retain this information for some time  
and it's important, for example, that we are all subject in the United  
States to the Patriot Act and it is possible that all that information  
could be made available to the authorities."

There's also the possibility of subpoenas. And hacks. But if any of  
this bothers you, you should be ashamed of yourself. According to Eric  
Schmidt.

Gawker highlights the irony of Schmidt's typically haughty  
proclamations. After all, this is the man who banned CNet for a year  
after the news site published information about him it had gleaned  
from, yes, Google.

But the larger point here is that Schmidt isn't even addressing the  
issue at hand. Per usual. When the privacy question appears, Google  
likes to talk about the people asking the questions. But the problem  
lies elsewhere: with the millions upon millions blissfully unaware of  
the questions.

If you're concerned about your online privacy, you can always put the  
kibosh on Google's tracking cookies. You can avoid signing in to  
Google accounts. And, yes, you can avoid using Google for anything  
Eric Schmidt thinks you shouldn't be doing. But most web users don't  
even realize Google is hoarding their data.

CNBC asks Schmidt: "People are treating Google like their most trusted  
friend. Should they be?" But he answers by scoffing at those who don't  
trust Google at all.

Not that you'd expect anything less. As always, Schmidt's holier-than- 
thou attitude is wonderfully amusing. Except that it's not. ®