Google and Privacy

A CNet article postulating on the potential danger of the personal data being amassed by search engine companies paints a scary picture. Google has been taking the brunt of the fear of what it could do with the personal information, but consumers remain relatively unconcerned because the Google brand represents such trust -- but we should never forget that Google and the other online giants that gather personal information, are private companies, and are not necessarily providing a public service for altruism.

Search engines knows where you're been online, what you've done there, and by combining data, could infer why you're doing it. Could such data be used to build a risk profile on individuals? Could the law enforcement authorities use such information to scan for citizens who may pose a danger -- in profile only -- to the public? You bet. Alternatively, more and more of such information is seeping into the public domain exactly because search engines are so good. In effective, the public could also do some watching -- although not at the granular detail that search engines capture.