Getting ready for Google's New Privacy Policy
Almost all of us might have come across a disclaimer on Google Search page saying "We're changing our privacy policy and terms. This stuff matters."
Do understand that if Google is putting it up on its pages and also mailing every Gmail user - how big are the after-effects of the change going to be!!
The changes will come into force from march 31st.
If I have to explain what this privacy policy changes mean I would say - Google would group everything we search (being signed in) and view on its partner sites(like Youtube) and serve ads based on this data. In short, Google will be knowing better what kind of a person we are and what we like than our family and friends !!
Let me put this in simple terms : (using Youtube & Gmail)
Present Privacy Policy scenario:
When you read a discussion on buying shoes on your Gmail, you are served advertisements related to buying shoes online. These "contextual ads" are served based on the keywords in your mail chain.
Now, if you open Youtube with the same account, you are shown advertisements only based on what you see on Youtube and the present privacy policy of Google does not allow Youtube to get data from what you read on Gmail or other Google sites.
New Privacy Policy scenario:
Okay, now this is more important. With the new privacy policy, unlike the current one, for instance Youtube can acquire data from Gmail and vice versa. So, becareful about what you watch on Youtube as these searches might influence the kind of advertisements you get in your Gmail.
So, with the new policy, if you have been searching on Google(and forgot that you are signed in) for 'something-secret' (which you don't want others to know) and immediately switch to Gmail with the same account, no wonder you might be shown ads based on the previous 'something-secret' search.
Continued on the next page
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