Challenge to Google: Don't be evil (really)

With so many features like GoogleVoice (coming soon), GoogleHealth, Gmail, Google Docs and the like, it seems that Google is creeping into every aspect of our lives.

If Google were to ever acquire Facebook, LinkedIn or MySpace the game would be up. Google would officially own my life -- or, at least, that which occurs with the aid of technology. Which is most of it.

Privacy advocates are growing increasingly concerned. Question is, what will Google do with all this information?? We already know the answer to this: advertising. And, market research to target those ads.

So how can Google (continue to) not be evil?

I propose that Google collaborate with privacy advocates to draft and display disclosure statements approved by privacy advocates.

Particularly, the risk associated with using a number of services, since the aggregation of services seems to worry advocates more than each service in singleton.

Privacy advocates can give such statements a stamp of approval, ensuring that users are well informed, that the language is clear and that the risks of using each service are well enumerated. Inviting a third-party organization (or several) to give their stamp of approval would demonstrate that Google is dedicated to their goal: don't be evil.

While the act of inviting such input could gain the trust of users worldwide, and may even increase Google's user base, it could backlash if an agreeable disclosure policy could not be agreed upon. In this case, it would cause me to wonder: what is Google (really) up to?

Links:

• Google Voice: Press "1" to invade your privacy
• Google as Big Brother
• Google's new behavioral ads already raising privacy worries
• Google: "Complete Privacy Does Not Exist"
• Google balances privacy, reach
• Google To Begin Behavioral Targeting, Give Users Access To Profiles
• Googlization of Everything
  

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