NET303 Policy PrimerA. Leung

Google is much more than just a search engine

Opening a Google account gives users access to wide range of products and services with a single login

Introduction

Google service logos retrieved from Wikimedia Commons

Creating an account

Creating a Google account requires agreeing to Google’s privacy policy and terms of service agreement

Are users aware of what they have agreed to when they sign up with one of Google’s services?

‘Pen to paper’ image by Marc Roberts retrieved from Flickr

Recent changes

Prior to March 1 2012, Google used over 60 separate privacy policy agreements across its products and services (Google, 2012).

‘Paperwork’ image by Luxomedia retrieved from Flickr

Now there is only one

Lets take a closer look at some of the policies users must agree to upon signing up with a Google service

Data gathering

Google is allowed to collect detailed information about its users including

Personal details &usage records

Information about your Internet connection

Details about the hardware & software you are using

Google uses collected data to enhance its services & deliver customised content to its users such as targeted search results & advertisements (Google, 2012)

Icons retrieved from Open Icon Library

Ownership of contentWhile Google recognises that user’s own the content they upload, Google has the right to

Store the content even if you stop using the service

Reproduce the content

Publish, display & distribute the content

Make modifications

Upon opening an account, users grant Google a license to use any content uploaded to its services for operational, promotional & enhancement purposes (Google, 2012)

Icons retrieved from Open Icon Library

Legal agreementsUsers of Google’s services are subject to applicable laws and regulations with Google able to suspend a user’s account if they do not abide by these conditions (Google, 2012)

Google will not be liable for any financial losses or legal costs that may have resulted from the use of their services (Google, 2012)

Users are solely responsible for ensuring that none of the actions they performwhile using Google’s services are in violation of US laws (Google, 2012)

‘Scales of justice gold’ image retrieved from Wikimedia Commons

Changes to services

Google may suspend, modify or remove any of its services at any time (Google, 2012).

There is no guarantee that users of Google’s services will be notified should this happen (Google, 2012).

Users can only expect to be notified by Google about changes to a service if Google decides that it is reasonable to do so (Google, 2012)

‘System lock screen’ icon retrieved from Open Icon Library

SummaryGoogle’s revised privacy policy and terms of service agreements contain many important points that users need to be aware of

Users concerned about their privacy, security & ownership of their content should examine Google’s policy documents carefully before using Google’s services

‘Document preview’ icon retrieved from Open Icon Library

References

Computer-laptop icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/devices/computer-laptop.png

Document-preview icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/actions/document-preview.png

Google (2012). One policy, one Google experience . Retrieved from http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/

Google (2012). Privacy policy. Retrieved from http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/policies/privacy/

Google (2012). Terms of service. Retrieved from http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/policies/terms/regional.html

References

Google [Image] (n.d.). Wordmark of Google Maps. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Google_Maps.svg

Google [Image] (2010). Google logo. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Googlelogo.png

Google [Image] (2010). Google Calendar logo. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Google_Calendar.png

Google [Image] (2011). Gmail logo. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gmail_logo.png

Google [Image] (2011). Google plus logo. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Google_plus.png

ReferencesGoogle [Image] (2011). YouTube logo. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:YouTube_Logo.png

Google [Image] (2012). Logo of Google Drive. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Logo_of_Google_Drive.png

Drive-harddisk-8 icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/devices/drive-harddisk-8.png

Luxomedia [Image] (2010). Paperwork. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/videolux/2389320345/

Media-optical-copy-2 icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/actions/media-optical-copy-2.png

References

Network-globe icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/devices/network-globe.png

Roberts, Marc [Image] (2010). Pen to paper. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcroberts/1484118790/

Scale of justice gold [Image] (2008). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Scale_of_justice_gold.png

System-lock-screen-2 icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/actions/system-lock-screen-2.png

User-info icon [Image] (2010). Open Icon Library. Retrieved from http://openiconlibrary.sourceforge.net/gallery2/?./Icons/apps/user-info.png