Author Topic: What the heck, Google?!  (Read 3143 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Askold

  • Definitely not hiding a dark secret.
  • Global Moderator
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 8358
  • Gender: Male
What the heck, Google?!
« on: August 15, 2013, 08:42:30 am »
http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/GOOGLE-If-You-Use-Gmail-You-Have-No-Legitimate-4730587.php

The important bit:
Quote
Just as a sender of a letter to a business colleague cannot be surprised that the recipient’s assistant opens the letter, people who use web-based email today cannot be surprised if their communications are processed by the recipient’s ECS provider in the course of delivery. Indeed, “a person has no legitimate expectation of privacy in information he voluntarily turns over to third parties.” Smith v. Maryland, 442 U.S. 735, 743-44 (1979). In particular, the Court noted that persons communicating through a service provided by an intermediary (in the Smith case, a telephone call routed through a telephone company) must necessarily expect that the communication will be subject to the intermediary’s systems. For example, the Court explained that in using the telephone, a person “voluntarily convey[ s ] numerical information to the telephone company and ‘expose[ s ]’ that information to its equipment in the ordinary course of business.” Id. at 744 (emphasis added).

I repeat:
Quote
“a person has no legitimate expectation of privacy in information he voluntarily turns over to third parties.”

If you send an email to someone using Gmail then you should not act suprised if/when they turn it over to third parties. So it's not just that "Yeah, we hand out people's private messages." It has already progressed to "If you are suprised that we hand out people's private messages then you are an idiot."
No matter what happens, no matter what my last words may end up being, I want everyone to claim that they were:
"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."
Aww, you guys rock. :)  I feel the love... and the pitchforks and torches.  Tingly!

Offline Witchyjoshy

  • SHITLORD THUNDERBASTARD!!
  • Kakarot
  • ******
  • Posts: 9044
  • Gender: Male
  • Thinks he's a bard
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2013, 02:01:16 pm »
Oh, good thing I never hopped onto the gmail fad.
Mockery of ideas you don't comprehend or understand is the surest mark of unintelligence.

Even the worst union is better than the best Walmart.

Caladur's Active Character Sheet

Offline Leafy

  • Radical Radish
  • Pope
  • ****
  • Posts: 295
  • Gender: Female
  • "My bunny will eat your soul!"
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2013, 02:27:52 pm »
I only really use gmail for my school email...I hope they enjoy those fascinating emails about homework questions.

Offline anti-nonsense

  • Nerdalicious Canadian
  • Pope
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
  • Gender: Female
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2013, 02:47:45 pm »
So much for "Don't be Evil", looks like I may need to find a new decent email provider. Except I've been using Gmail for years so it would be a huge pain.
From international relations to religious rivalries, from marriage to athlete's foot, whatever the problem a fundy's first solution is usually violence.

Offline Dakota Bob

  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 2264
  • Gender: Male
  • UGLY BAG OF MOSTLY WATER

Offline Witchyjoshy

  • SHITLORD THUNDERBASTARD!!
  • Kakarot
  • ******
  • Posts: 9044
  • Gender: Male
  • Thinks he's a bard
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2013, 05:36:58 pm »
*sigh*

Okay, I'm officially getting tired of this stuff.  Sensationalist internet articles claiming this or that, and people jumping on bandwagons.  Myself included.

People have become so absolutely fucking paranoid about privacy that they're seeing spy cameras everywhere.  The internet is becoming Boyd from Psychonauts.

Do you want to be Boyd?
Mockery of ideas you don't comprehend or understand is the surest mark of unintelligence.

Even the worst union is better than the best Walmart.

Caladur's Active Character Sheet

Offline Sleepy

  • Fuck Yes Sunshine In a Bag
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 4598
  • Gender: Female
  • Danger zone
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2013, 06:32:17 pm »
Given all the recent issues concerning privacy of US citizens, I certainly don't blame people for being outraged over this, or for believing it.
Guys, this is getting creepy. Can we talk about cannibalism instead?

If a clown eats salmon on Tuesday, how much does a triangle weigh on Jupiter? Ask Mr. Wiggins for 10% off of your next dry cleaning bill. -Hades

Offline Witchyjoshy

  • SHITLORD THUNDERBASTARD!!
  • Kakarot
  • ******
  • Posts: 9044
  • Gender: Male
  • Thinks he's a bard
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2013, 06:43:41 pm »
My problem is, I don't know what to believe anymore.  Anyone can say anything, even about the NSA, and people will jump all hogwild over it.  It's becoming hard to tell the truth from the sensationalist bullshit now.
Mockery of ideas you don't comprehend or understand is the surest mark of unintelligence.

Even the worst union is better than the best Walmart.

Caladur's Active Character Sheet

Offline Askold

  • Definitely not hiding a dark secret.
  • Global Moderator
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 8358
  • Gender: Male
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2013, 12:33:18 am »
A counter-point. Turns out things have been exaggerated

Well if that article I linked was misinformation I apologize for it.

Quote
Non-Gmail users who send emails to Gmail recipients must expect that their emails will be subjected to Google's normal processes as the [email] provider for their intended recipients.

Exscuse me if I no longer am believe that "Google's normal processes" mean that they won't scan my email. I don't care if it's done by a bot or a person, those contents are private and using them for market research is no better than giving them to an espionage organisation.
No matter what happens, no matter what my last words may end up being, I want everyone to claim that they were:
"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."
Aww, you guys rock. :)  I feel the love... and the pitchforks and torches.  Tingly!

Offline Dakota Bob

  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 2264
  • Gender: Male
  • UGLY BAG OF MOSTLY WATER
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2013, 02:15:06 pm »
My problem is, I don't know what to believe anymore.  Anyone can say anything, even about the NSA, and people will jump all hogwild over it.  It's becoming hard to tell the truth from the sensationalist bullshit now.

[Mulder]Trust no one[/Mulder]

It's very easy to get crazy about this shit now, but I guess all we can do is be careful and find out more before freaking out about something.

Offline Veras

  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 1097
  • Gender: Male
  • I aim to misbehave
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2013, 02:20:14 pm »
I have never had any expectation that any digital communication is private.  Just like with the Snowden leak, the only thing that surprises me is that people are surprised by this (whether it is true or not).

Does that make me paranoid?
RIP Tony Benn (1925 - 2014)

"There is no moral difference between a stealth bomber and a suicide bomber. Both kill innocent people for political reasons."

“If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people.”

"I'm not frightened about death. I don't know why, but I just feel that at a certain moment your switch is switched off, and that's it. And you can't do anything about it."

Offline Witchyjoshy

  • SHITLORD THUNDERBASTARD!!
  • Kakarot
  • ******
  • Posts: 9044
  • Gender: Male
  • Thinks he's a bard
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2013, 02:42:02 pm »
I have never had any expectation that any digital communication is private.  Just like with the Snowden leak, the only thing that surprises me is that people are surprised by this (whether it is true or not).

Does that make me paranoid?

No, it makes you reasonable.

...What would make you paranoid is doing what the internet is doing now.
Mockery of ideas you don't comprehend or understand is the surest mark of unintelligence.

Even the worst union is better than the best Walmart.

Caladur's Active Character Sheet

Offline Radiation

  • ILLUMINATI...ASSEMBLE!
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 1289
  • Gender: Female
  • Just Radiation, I am so uncreative
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2013, 04:09:03 pm »
Most of us have probably known that this kind of technology would make it easier for corporations, the government, etc to snoop on our communications so, I'm not surprised by all of this, perhaps a bit shocked, but not horribly surprised.
Quote
"Radiation, were beauty measured by the soul instead of the body, you would be legendary on the status of Helen of Troy. Be strong." -The Sandman

Offline Sigmaleph

  • Ungodlike
  • Administrator
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 3615
    • sigmaleph on tumblr
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2013, 05:27:25 pm »
Quote
Non-Gmail users who send emails to Gmail recipients must expect that their emails will be subjected to Google's normal processes as the [email] provider for their intended recipients.

Exscuse me if I no longer am believe that "Google's normal processes" mean that they won't scan my email. I don't care if it's done by a bot or a person, those contents are private and using them for market research is no better than giving them to an espionage organisation.

A bot reading my e-mail to to target ads seems to be preferable by far than giving it to a person or an espionage organization. Not a good thing on absolute terms, but to say that it's 'no better' seems hyperbole.
Σא

Offline m52nickerson

  • Polish Viking
  • The Beast
  • *****
  • Posts: 1386
  • Gender: Male
  • Winning by flying omoplata!
Re: What the heck, Google?!
« Reply #14 on: August 16, 2013, 07:24:03 pm »
This is the important part...

Quote
Smith v. Maryland, 442 U.S. 735, 743-44 (1979). In particular, the Court noted that persons communicating through a service provided by an intermediary (in the Smith case, a telephone call routed through a telephone company) must necessarily expect that the communication will be subject to the intermediary’s systems. For example, the Court explained that in using the telephone, a person “voluntarily convey[ s ] numerical information to the telephone company and ‘expose[ s ]’ that information to its equipment in the ordinary course of business.” Id. at 744 (emphasis added).
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. ~Macbeth