The New Google Maps
 

Google revealed how they are changing their Maps this week. You can check out how here:

https://maps.google.com/help/maps/he...sktop/preview/

It seems Maps is to be another device by google to remorselessly harvest personal data under the guise of "we're helping you for free" - more like the destruction of privacy for profit I think.

I'd rather buy and use paper maps.

Well - as you point out, if you don't want to use the Google Map service, you are certainly under no obligation to do so.

If you want to use the service, but you have concerns about data collection and the resulting personalization of the results, there are many ways to mitigate that:

1) Clear the cookie(s) that Google sets in your browser after you use the map service.

2) Create a fictitious Google account (for example, 'Santa Claus @ gmail.com), and sign into Google Maps using that account. Don't use that account for any other purpose. Browsing history and personalization associated with the account will not be correlated with any other accounts you may have.

3) Put tinfoil over your windows and wear a tinfoil hat when you are using the new Google Maps service.

I do that already with my feet in a biscuit tin too as you well know since you can obviously see me through my computer. You're one of them aren't you? AREN'T YOU!?!?!? :taz:

i'm only one of the growing backlash of google haters (and I use the term "hate" advisedly):

Microsoft Internal Google Chrome 'Bouncing Ball' Parody - YouTube

There's an easy way to stop Google ... stop buying things!

Seriously - as long as people want to buy things and companies want to sell things, there will be a need for Google.

If you didn't need to get bits for you bike, know where to camp, feed your face and wipe your backside, Google wouldn't exist!

But I 'spose mass angst needs to be directed somewhere - prior to Google it was the government, corporations, bosses, banks, Microsoft... but I spose as long as you are not beating on your partner, kids, noisy neighbours ... then Google is as good a target as any.





Personally I love Google - especially Google Maps! Otherwise I wouldn't know where to park my bike :mchappy:

Your naivety is touching. Let me put my “angst” into some proper context for you; if any pratt comes at me wearing “Google Glass” they can expect a Glasgow Kiss (Google it!) - a reasonable response I think.


Hang on – they'll have captured me doing it on their super cool dude Google Glass and I'll be posted on You-tube (owned by Google) for all the world to see. Damn, I haven't thought this through have I? Oh well, worth it if I start a trend, a whole new You-tube Channel - “me getting decked wearing my Google glass”. A metaphor for a new age.

Naiveté (yeah, I looked it up....) is thinking you have any privacy at all - and the web's just part of it. As far as the web goes, most of the players/companies make money off you. That doesn't mean it's costing you, but other companies are paying for your information. Some of that information is used to target you with - sometimes - relevant ads. Use a decent adblocker and you'll never notice any of it. If are under the assumption that you have any privacy, even without google, you are sorely mistaken.
As far as I'm concerned I have no problem with others monetizing my details, as long as I'm not bothered with it. Good for them, apparently they're smarter than me (which is not much of a challenge...).
If Google is part of your privacy/conspiracy problem you might as well throw in Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Bing, Yahoo, Aol, Stumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, erhhh, blahbahblah and any other social networking site, as well as Microsoft, Apple and let's not forget the Guv'munt. Face it, there's only one solution: go off the grid and join Bilbo in his quest to the Lonely Mountain...

Of course, we - Googlers - might all be obliviously naive, it only being a matter of time before Google controls the world. But I'm sure the Aliens will save us.

In the meantime, Google Maps just pointed me to the nearest bar, so there's proof you can't live without it...beer

PS Decking Google Glass users... priceless! Reminds me of a history lesson; people were scared and agressive when the first horseless carriages arrived. similarly (more recently) when people were sure that cellphones caused cancer. Welcome to the 21st century, where privacy is a wishful memory. Deal with it.

That'd be so cool... being ruled by people who think outside the box ...

who brighten my day with a Google Doodle, not because it makes them money, just because it's fun.

who dream up elaborate April Fools jokes and put Easter Eggs in their search results.

who offer up recipes for SPAM when you visit your gmail spam folder. :thumbup1:

who see the fun and adventure in life and are not bogged down with the minutiae, the BS and political point scoring.

who have given us the tools - free of charge - to see the damage and witness first hand what the virus homo sapien has done to this planet.

If in return they would like my personal details... I'm happy to oblige. My name is Jacqui Kennedy and I live in Sydney Australia. :Beach:

You slacker generation deserve all that will come to you.

You're just getting a kick out of this, aren't you? :rofl:

BTW @Scootergal, elegant! Much more creative than me! _0_

Clearing your cookies might help, but there is this tool which more or less any website is using: Google Analytics, also used by Horizon Unlimited, which collects data about all visitors. The user of Analytics can only see so many thing, but I'm in no doubt that Google can harvest a lot more information.

If people really are afraid of having their whereabouts on the internet tracked, then 1) don't use the internet at all, 2) if slightly less paranoid use Ghostery (plugin), as it can block more or less any thing the website uses to track people.

Just using an smartphone will leave a trail behind.

It's the same with trafic cameras, who actually know what the data is being used for....

Back to Google Maps, I got the invite the other day, it's ok, but a quick look revealed that Google might have an Apple on their hands, some of the information is "slightly" less accurate.

Casper

Like ScooterGal - I am happy trade a little personal data in return for searching and mapping services that function better than they do now. My problem with google is not how well they know me, it is that they don't know me well enough!

Oh Fastship can you tell me where you live - I would hate for my spanking new Google Glass to damaged by a Glasgow Kiss (though I thought it was a Liverpool Kiss).

I attended a classified talk from GCHQ a few years back. Trust me, Google is the least of your problems!!

Will future world travellers find themselves in an orange jump suit somewhere (or the electronic equivalent) simply because they travelled through whichever country, region, or even planned to which was not to the taste of the tracking software of the particular government who surveiled you?

The irony of this weeks revelations of “Obama Care” is that if this technology had existed during the US '60's civil rights movement when they were considered deeply subversive then we would not today have a black US president.


In reply to your supine acceptance of this new order I repeat my previous statement – you deserve everything that is coming to you. Include me out.


Oh and I am from Liverpool but we're all very cuddly here :innocent: