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I would strongly disagree. This type of information is the most valuable information google can collect on an individual. The cost of maintaining this data is s

I would strongly disagree. This type of information is the most valuable information google can collect on an individual. The cost of maintaining this data is so small compared to its value that there is should be little pressure to do anything but store it indefinitely along with any metadata that might be relevant.

asdfasgasdgasdg 5y ago
Ok, but your conjecture is in contradiction to Google's data retention policies, which describe a process something like what I wrote. It's possible that Google are just lying through their teeth, but I think it's not very likely. I think you have overestimated the value of this sort of information. It is not worth the reputational risk to retain it in contravention of posted policies.
- prepend 5y ago
  > overestimated the value of this sort of information. What do you estimate is the value of a dossier of all purchases I make over my lifetime? Or at least the ones Google knows about. It seems to me that this is very useful and valuable.
- dave5104 5y ago
  > I think you have overestimated the value of this sort of information. Google's an advertising company. How is having a complete list of all the products I've purchased online not valuable? Seems like a great indication on what kinds of products Google can turn around and advertise back to me.
- burkaman 5y ago
  No, Google's policies say they delete some things when you ask them to, but they won't say which things. Maybe email purchases are in this category, or maybe they're in the category of data they keep "for the life of your Google Account", or "for extended time periods".
  - asdfasgasdgasdg 5y ago
    Fair enough. At this point all we have is conjecture. Their policies seem congruent with my view, and it's also how I would design a system like this. On the other hand, you may be right that this is data they retain forever. There is no way to know for sure unless someone wants to do an experiment. It would be pretty easy to conduct: do takeout to find a purchase in the history, delete emails associated with the specific purchase, empty the trash, wait sixty days, then takeout again and check if the purchase is gone. But we won't find out today.
ridaj 5y ago
On the basis of what data do you think that this information is valuable? I don't think my purchases from 5 years ago are meant as useful as the recent ones I made...

asdfasgasdgasdg 5y ago

Ok, but your conjecture is in contradiction to Google's data retention policies, which describe a process something like what I wrote. It's possible that Google are just lying through their teeth, but I think it's not very likely. I think you have overestimated the value of this sort of information. It is not worth the reputational risk to retain it in contravention of posted policies.

prepend 5y ago
> overestimated the value of this sort of information. What do you estimate is the value of a dossier of all purchases I make over my lifetime? Or at least the ones Google knows about. It seems to me that this is very useful and valuable.
dave5104 5y ago
> I think you have overestimated the value of this sort of information. Google's an advertising company. How is having a complete list of all the products I've purchased online not valuable? Seems like a great indication on what kinds of products Google can turn around and advertise back to me.
burkaman 5y ago
No, Google's policies say they delete some things when you ask them to, but they won't say which things. Maybe email purchases are in this category, or maybe they're in the category of data they keep "for the life of your Google Account", or "for extended time periods".
- asdfasgasdgasdg 5y ago
  Fair enough. At this point all we have is conjecture. Their policies seem congruent with my view, and it's also how I would design a system like this. On the other hand, you may be right that this is data they retain forever. There is no way to know for sure unless someone wants to do an experiment. It would be pretty easy to conduct: do takeout to find a purchase in the history, delete emails associated with the specific purchase, empty the trash, wait sixty days, then takeout again and check if the purchase is gone. But we won't find out today.

ridaj 5y ago

On the basis of what data do you think that this information is valuable? I don't think my purchases from 5 years ago are meant as useful as the recent ones I made...