A public interest group called the Electronic Privacy Information Center (“EPIC”) has filed a 15-page plea with the FTC to investigate the cloud computing services provided by Google. These services, including Gmail, Google Docs and Picasa, have been under fire recently for sercurity flaws. Most notably was the breach of data in Google Docs earlier this month, where personal documents were able to be viewed by unauthorized users of the service. EPIC claims that large, centralized data stores, like those used in most of Google’s services, can cause widespread harm if they are compromised. As a result, EPIC is pushing the FTC to conduct a thorough investigation of Google’s sercurity practices in regards to its cloud computing services. EPIC is also pushing Google to make its security policies more transparent to those using their services.
My personal feeling on all of this is EPIC is making a big deal out of nothing. Google gives away these services to the public FREE OF CHARGE. As such, you as a user have to agree to their terms and conditions, and deal with subsequent problems like service outages and security breaches. It is all covered in their user agreements when you sign up. No company giving away a FREE product or service should be punished for potential damages from using their product. If you paid Microsoft hundreds of dollars for a piece of software that gave away your personal information, then you would have a case because you would be consumer with rights. BUT, all of Google’s personal use software is free of charge – what more do you want?
The true, underlying motivation behind this report filed by EPIC is tucked away neatly in the last line of this 15-page report: “58. Compel Google to contribute $5,000,000 to a public fund that will help support research concerning privacy enhancing technologies, including encryption, effective data anonymization, and mobile location privacy.” EPIC is a small group in a much larger world of advocacy groups with large budgets. They have to make headlines every once in a while to keep donations coming and to be able to access public funds like the $5 million they are requesting from Google. Why not put some pressure on a company who’s mission is “Do no Evil” and force them to cough up a small amount of money? Privacy groups have employess with salaries too.
Give me a break! If you don’t like Google’s user agreements and privacy releases, don’t use their free services!
