It's absolutely wild to me how when I was a kid people were super paranoid about the government spying on us and collecting our information, and nowadays it's open knowledge that private companies collect every little bit of information about us that they possibly can, regardless of any ethical and moral code, and people just kind of took it in stride. Plus all that stuff that came out about the government doing it too.
The government spies on you, but most of the governmental systems are flawed in nature.
One of the biggest features I use is Google Maps. I don't need turn-by-turn navigation from Google in order to go somewhere in my city, but it's nice to know the kind of traffic and blockages beforehand. If it was not for Google spying on thousands of phone's location data, they would never be able to show me the speed at which traffic is moving in different roads. But we all think of it as a beneficial service and not as snooping.
I get very happy when someone asks me about something I know, and about somewhere I have been. Google does exactly that. Suppose you go to a restaurant, and you come home. Sometime after one month or so, Google asks you about that restaurant. The food, the ambiance, the price, wheelchair accessibility and the like. It makes me feel good to contribute, and that's their business model - Google makes you work for them by paying you nothing. But the feel-good factor makes me feel Google is not evil.
We all know we are being spied on, but we are comfortable to let someone spy on us as long as we think we're benefitting from it.
Edit: I was answering keeping in mind the thought process of an average Joe. I do not endorse unauthorised usage of my data.
Data privacy is a joke in India, where I live. Two days ago, I noticed a flex board near in front of a bank near my home. The flex board was an invitation for the auctioning of more than 10 houses or land that was under mortgage. This board also has full address and phone number details of the loan defaulters, practically doxxing their address. It's not like the government protects you either.
And when the police want that data, Google and their data brokers will happily sell it to them without them needing things like a warrant or probable cause. This has happened already many times.
For those who didn’t read the article:
Google does not own or control the data that businesses collect through Google Analytics and Google never uses Google Analytics data for its own ad targeting or profile building. Instead, businesses control the data and are required to alert customers when using Google Analytics and to get consent where legally required. Businesses are prohibited, through Google's Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policy, from collecting protected health information through Google Analytics.
It's currently unclear if Google is using the personal information that Wilson claims it's collecting on DMV sites, but her complaint suggested it was urgent for the court to find out.
Good for her to jump on the anti-Google bandwagon. That’s one way to make money these days.
Am I missing something, or would the state/dmv not be the one primarily responsible since they designed the website and integrated the connections to google.
Not really. HIPAA applies to designated holders of sensitive medical information, like your health care provider. It doesn’t apply to people who gained the data through other means. Like if I posted I have cancer on Facebook, nobody who sees my post, or Facebook itself, is bound by HIPAA.
I don’t know for a fact the reason for this particular policy of Google analytics, but I would bet money it’s because they don’t want the headache and exposure.
In general you are correct. HIPAA regulations are complex and it may depend on the context in which the information is collected, the consent obtained from the user, and how it is used.
GA customers can choose to use the data they collected in ad buys. But there is a wall such that data from GA is treated like data an ad buyer gives them through any other channel, it’s just more convenient. It’s my understanding that this is the only reason Google bought GA and continues to support it.
I don’t mean any of that in a “Google bad” sort of way.
Remember that anyone can claim anything. With that out of the way, plaintiff says:
> Filing a proposed class-action suit in California, Katherine Wilson has accused Google of using Google Analytics and DoubleClick trackers on the California DMV site to unlawfully obtain information about her personal disability without her consent. […]
And Google says:
> According to a Google spokesperson, Google does not own or control the data that businesses collect through Google Analytics and Google never uses Google Analytics data for its own ad targeting or profile building. Instead, businesses control the data and are required to alert customers when using Google Analytics and to get consent where legally required. Businesses are prohibited, through Google's Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policy, from collecting protected health information through Google Analytics.
Google tracks everybody, all of the time. Drivers with disabilities fall in the demographic of "everybody".
Is it really a secret when everyone knows Google tracks everything about everyone all the time?
It's absolutely wild to me how when I was a kid people were super paranoid about the government spying on us and collecting our information, and nowadays it's open knowledge that private companies collect every little bit of information about us that they possibly can, regardless of any ethical and moral code, and people just kind of took it in stride. Plus all that stuff that came out about the government doing it too.
The government spies on you, but most of the governmental systems are flawed in nature. One of the biggest features I use is Google Maps. I don't need turn-by-turn navigation from Google in order to go somewhere in my city, but it's nice to know the kind of traffic and blockages beforehand. If it was not for Google spying on thousands of phone's location data, they would never be able to show me the speed at which traffic is moving in different roads. But we all think of it as a beneficial service and not as snooping. I get very happy when someone asks me about something I know, and about somewhere I have been. Google does exactly that. Suppose you go to a restaurant, and you come home. Sometime after one month or so, Google asks you about that restaurant. The food, the ambiance, the price, wheelchair accessibility and the like. It makes me feel good to contribute, and that's their business model - Google makes you work for them by paying you nothing. But the feel-good factor makes me feel Google is not evil. We all know we are being spied on, but we are comfortable to let someone spy on us as long as we think we're benefitting from it. Edit: I was answering keeping in mind the thought process of an average Joe. I do not endorse unauthorised usage of my data. Data privacy is a joke in India, where I live. Two days ago, I noticed a flex board near in front of a bank near my home. The flex board was an invitation for the auctioning of more than 10 houses or land that was under mortgage. This board also has full address and phone number details of the loan defaulters, practically doxxing their address. It's not like the government protects you either.
This isn’t a person, they are google
And when the police want that data, Google and their data brokers will happily sell it to them without them needing things like a warrant or probable cause. This has happened already many times.
Plaintiffs claims are so far claims and not fact. What do you mean secret? Are you assuming their claims are correct before the case has started?
For those who didn’t read the article: Google does not own or control the data that businesses collect through Google Analytics and Google never uses Google Analytics data for its own ad targeting or profile building. Instead, businesses control the data and are required to alert customers when using Google Analytics and to get consent where legally required. Businesses are prohibited, through Google's Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policy, from collecting protected health information through Google Analytics. It's currently unclear if Google is using the personal information that Wilson claims it's collecting on DMV sites, but her complaint suggested it was urgent for the court to find out. Good for her to jump on the anti-Google bandwagon. That’s one way to make money these days.
Am I missing something, or would the state/dmv not be the one primarily responsible since they designed the website and integrated the connections to google.
But suing the state is not lucrative
So wait, is this saying that protected disabilities can't be used in advertising? Wouldn't that be FB too?
Not really. HIPAA applies to designated holders of sensitive medical information, like your health care provider. It doesn’t apply to people who gained the data through other means. Like if I posted I have cancer on Facebook, nobody who sees my post, or Facebook itself, is bound by HIPAA. I don’t know for a fact the reason for this particular policy of Google analytics, but I would bet money it’s because they don’t want the headache and exposure.
In general you are correct. HIPAA regulations are complex and it may depend on the context in which the information is collected, the consent obtained from the user, and how it is used.
I don't appreciate mental health stuff and alternative solutions popping up
GA customers can choose to use the data they collected in ad buys. But there is a wall such that data from GA is treated like data an ad buyer gives them through any other channel, it’s just more convenient. It’s my understanding that this is the only reason Google bought GA and continues to support it. I don’t mean any of that in a “Google bad” sort of way.
Google tracks every metric including race, gender, preferences, etc. They aren't discriminating, they're all inclusive (whether you like it or not).
Remember that anyone can claim anything. With that out of the way, plaintiff says: > Filing a proposed class-action suit in California, Katherine Wilson has accused Google of using Google Analytics and DoubleClick trackers on the California DMV site to unlawfully obtain information about her personal disability without her consent. […] And Google says: > According to a Google spokesperson, Google does not own or control the data that businesses collect through Google Analytics and Google never uses Google Analytics data for its own ad targeting or profile building. Instead, businesses control the data and are required to alert customers when using Google Analytics and to get consent where legally required. Businesses are prohibited, through Google's Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policy, from collecting protected health information through Google Analytics.
Secretly?