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Yes, Google doesn't want to cross the "creepy line". But at the same time... "We don't need you to type at all. We know where you are. We know where you've be

Yes, Google doesn't want to cross the "creepy line". But at the same time... "We don't need you to type at all. We know where you are. We know where you've been. We can more or less now what you're thinking about."

yanw 16y ago
"With your permission" is key here. Technology can be ‘creepy’ (I don't like that word, it can mean too many things) so by giving control to the user innovation is maintained and no lines get crossed.
- gizmomagico 16y ago
  You don't seem to realize that "with your permission" was nothing but a distraction, just like mentioning "improving the quality of searches". In case you didn't notice, he then proceeded to tell you that they know everything about you already.
- lwhi 16y ago
  "With your permission" means nothing. Quite often the user granting permission has no idea what the implications will be.
1337p337 16y ago
Google is too insulated to know exactly where the "creepy line" is. Take Latitude, for example, or the more intrusive (because it was made opt-out rather than opt-in) Buzz. Instant is just an extention of what they have tried in Chrome or with Suggest. If Joe Average Consumer knew how these things worked (e.g., that every keystroke in Chrome's unibar ends up going to Google, often associated with his Google account, so that they know he frequents fatchicksinpartyhats.com), I think most people would be fairly creeped out.
zmmmmm 16y ago
The whole concept of privacy being black and white - a line where you're fine on one side and creepy on the other is just a fantasy. Google needs to understand that it's a continuum. Every little creepy thing you do makes you a bit more creepy. They day they started remembering my search terms made them more creepy. They day they started analyzing my email made them even a bit more creepy. The day they started photographing me in the street made them more creepy again. There is no line. Even if there was nobody would agree on where it was. Google is going to destroy itself if they don't learn this. Fortunately for Google Eric Schmidt seems to be the only one publicly stating this delusion so there is hope it is mainly in his head, but I'm not sure.
sliverstorm 16y ago
Whether it's creepy or not, if they are just crunching data and producing statistics and odds, I don't feel I can begrudge them.

yanw 16y ago

"With your permission" is key here. Technology can be ‘creepy’ (I don't like that word, it can mean too many things) so by giving control to the user innovation is maintained and no lines get crossed.

gizmomagico 16y ago
You don't seem to realize that "with your permission" was nothing but a distraction, just like mentioning "improving the quality of searches". In case you didn't notice, he then proceeded to tell you that they know everything about you already.
lwhi 16y ago
"With your permission" means nothing. Quite often the user granting permission has no idea what the implications will be.

1337p337 16y ago

Google is too insulated to know exactly where the "creepy line" is. Take Latitude, for example, or the more intrusive (because it was made opt-out rather than opt-in) Buzz. Instant is just an extention of what they have tried in Chrome or with Suggest. If Joe Average Consumer knew how these things worked (e.g., that every keystroke in Chrome's unibar ends up going to Google, often associated with his Google account, so that they know he frequents fatchicksinpartyhats.com), I think most people would be fairly creeped out.

zmmmmm 16y ago

The whole concept of privacy being black and white - a line where you're fine on one side and creepy on the other is just a fantasy. Google needs to understand that it's a continuum. Every little creepy thing you do makes you a bit more creepy. They day they started remembering my search terms made them more creepy. They day they started analyzing my email made them even a bit more creepy. The day they started photographing me in the street made them more creepy again. There is no line. Even if there was nobody would agree on where it was. Google is going to destroy itself if they don't learn this. Fortunately for Google Eric Schmidt seems to be the only one publicly stating this delusion so there is hope it is mainly in his head, but I'm not sure.

sliverstorm 16y ago

Whether it's creepy or not, if they are just crunching data and producing statistics and odds, I don't feel I can begrudge them.