In the west, Google can only gather (and monetize) user data so much, before there starts to be public outcry, pushback, and Congressional hearings about them invading privacy to an unacceptable degree. In China, Google can gather user data as much as it wants, and gathering more leads to ambivalence from the public (because they're used to it) and praise from the local government. They get to play out their dream of having every search be tied to a person; and of course every site that includes code from go
In China the domestic platforms already do all that and more. For example WePay is pretty much the universal way to pay for stuff now, even random street vendors accept it right up to luxury hotels. Of course all the search and social media platforms monitor and allow the government full access. So the situation with regards to privacy is already dire.
In Europe Google has some of the strongest privacy controls of any major service. Way better than Facebook and Microsoft, for example. From what I read it's not too dissimilar in the US. You can go here to see the available controls: https://myaccount.google.com/p... [google.com]
So while it is possible that Google will abandon all that stuff for the Chinese market it's not certain, and perhaps we should at least see what they are proposing/doing first. If they did launch with even half those privacy controls it would be a huge deal for the Chinese market, making privacy a thing that people think and care about.
In Europe Google has some of the strongest privacy controls of any major service. Way better than Facebook and Microsoft, for example. From what I read it's not too dissimilar in the US. You can go here to see the available controls: https://myaccount.google.com/p [google.com]...
In Europe Google Analytics is used to stalk users as they move from website to website the same as any other country. Browser signals that indicate user preference not to be stalked are summarily ignored by these services owned and operated by a company with "the strongest privacy controls".
Strongest privacy controls = requires you to create an account to manage the fate of SOME of the data they take from you regardless so for sure everything you do can most defiantly be tracked on an individual account ho
To be awake is to be alive. -- Henry David Thoreau, in "Walden"
Feature Not Bug (Score:5, Insightful)
In the west, Google can only gather (and monetize) user data so much, before there starts to be public outcry, pushback, and Congressional hearings about them invading privacy to an unacceptable degree.
In China, Google can gather user data as much as it wants, and gathering more leads to ambivalence from the public (because they're used to it) and praise from the local government. They get to play out their dream of having every search be tied to a person; and of course every site that includes code from go
Re:Feature Not Bug (Score:5, Interesting)
In China the domestic platforms already do all that and more. For example WePay is pretty much the universal way to pay for stuff now, even random street vendors accept it right up to luxury hotels. Of course all the search and social media platforms monitor and allow the government full access. So the situation with regards to privacy is already dire.
In Europe Google has some of the strongest privacy controls of any major service. Way better than Facebook and Microsoft, for example. From what I read it's not too dissimilar in the US. You can go here to see the available controls: https://myaccount.google.com/p... [google.com]
So while it is possible that Google will abandon all that stuff for the Chinese market it's not certain, and perhaps we should at least see what they are proposing/doing first. If they did launch with even half those privacy controls it would be a huge deal for the Chinese market, making privacy a thing that people think and care about.
Re: (Score:2)
In Europe Google has some of the strongest privacy controls of any major service. Way better than Facebook and Microsoft, for example. From what I read it's not too dissimilar in the US. You can go here to see the available controls: https://myaccount.google.com/p [google.com]...
In Europe Google Analytics is used to stalk users as they move from website to website the same as any other country. Browser signals that indicate user preference not to be stalked are summarily ignored by these services owned and operated by a company with "the strongest privacy controls".
Strongest privacy controls = requires you to create an account to manage the fate of SOME of the data they take from you regardless so for sure everything you do can most defiantly be tracked on an individual account ho