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Does Anyone Really Care Where Google Places Its Privacy Policy?
from the isn't-it-more-important-what's-in-it? dept
In the past, we've discovered that most people don't read a website's privacy policy, and many (incorrectly) assume that as long as a site has a privacy policy, then it means that the site will keep their info private -- even if the policy is to say the exact opposite. Basically, what this means is privacy policies are almost entirely meaningless. Yet, some still think they're important for show. Even more than that, they think that where you put the privacy policy matters. And that's put Google into a bit of a bind, as it tries to join the Network Advertising Initiative, a trade group that sets standards relating to how companies collect data for advertising purposes. The problem is that one of the NAI's principles is that the proper thing to do is put a link to your privacy policy on the homepage -- something that Google refuses to do. Google, of course, takes the look and feel of its front page rather seriously, and refuses to clutter it with anything it feels is unnecessary (other than the copyright notice, which was added after tests showed people didn't know if the page had finished loading).
All in all this seems like a totally pointless debate. As Google points out, if you want to find Google's privacy policy from the front page, the easiest thing to do is type "google's privacy policy" into the search box and you'll get there fast enough. Luckily, it looks like the NAI will likely relent and allow Google to join. However, isn't it about time that a trade group like this actually focused on things that mattered -- such as what's actually in a privacy policy, or whether companies live up to it (or whether users care), rather than where the privacy policy is linked?
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put in the dropdown menu - DUH
Dont forget they now have a dhtml dropdown menu with links to virtually all of their vertical search sites [more]. The private policy could be at the bottom of that menu
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it's present on http://www.google.com/ig
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The PP is on MY home page
but I use iGoogle, maybe that's different.
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Re: put in the dropdown menu - DUH
if you click on the "about Google" link at the bottom of the main Google page, the privacy policy is right there. same amount of clicks.
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Come on now Mike...
Why do you insist on trying to apply logic and common sense to all things related to the internet?
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Readability Issue
A friend of mine did some research (informal) where he fed the privacy policies of 10 popular websites into an application that discerned the reading education level of the text.
He found that all of them were at a higher reading level than 90% of the US population.
So figuring out how easy they are to find may not matter much.
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I'd like to tell
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I'd like to tell Google where to place its privacy policy
Sorry, but a headline like that cries out for a response...
If people expect to find a privacy policy through a link on the front page, then yes, it does matter, as it will be too big a cognitive shift for people to type "google's privacy policy" into the search box.
The question is whether people are used to looking for a privacy policy at all, or whether they don't take them seriously. I'm sure someone out there is doing some research on that.
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Re: Readability Issue
anything published? even an informal blog...that'd be an interesting read
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Easy enough to find...
Just click on About Google, and it is right there at the bottom of the page... Kinda obvious in my opinion..
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Woot has a pretty readable privacy policy..
Why can't they all be like this?
https://www.woot.com/User/PrivacyNotice.aspx
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It's on the iGoogle Homepage
At the bottom:
Advertising Programs - Business Solutions - Privacy Policy - Help - About Google
So it's on the homepage, assuming you're logged in.
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Re: Readability Issue
Is this a web-app? I'd like to run a few things through it myself.
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Sounds like a case of petulance
It's dumb of them to fight this hard for their "beautiful clean home page" when they have links to all kinds of stuff on their home page including the ridiculous "I'm feeling lucky" button. Sure they think that button is cute but how useful is it really?
And they had no problems finding room for links to advertising and business options so they should suck it up an add the privacy policy just like they have at the bottom of the iGoogle home page
I'm a Google fan but it is pretty clear from the above that the only reason they are protesting is because of a petulant "we are Google and we hate being told what to do" attitude.
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legal contract
Mike: If Google can assert its legal terms just by publishing them, then users can assert their own privacy terms just by publishing them! What do you think? --Ben http://hack-igations.blogspot.com/2008/05/google-privacy-policy-terms-of-service.html
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