États-Unis: Google et la vie privée

Le 1er mars prochain, la nouvelle politique de confidentialité de Google devrait entrer en vigueur ... les critiques sont nombreuses ... les dernières en date proviennent de 37 procureurs généraux américains comme on peut le lire, par exemple, sur le site de l'Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) ou dans un billet publié sur Security, Pryvacy and the Law. 

"State Attorneys General Cite Privacy Risks to Android Users, Demand Meeting with Google
Attorneys general from 36 states and territories sent a letter to Google raising new questions about the plan to consolidate user data on March 1. "The new policy forces consumers to allow information across all of these products to be shared, without giving them the ability to opt out.," the letter says. The state AGs also say "this invasion of privacy is virtually impossible to escape for the nation's Android-powered smartphone users, who comprise nearly 50% of the national smartphone market. For these consumers, avoiding Google's privacy policy change may mean buying an entirely new phone at great personal expense." The AGs point out that Google told Android users "We will not reduce your rights under this Privacy Policy without your explicit consent." Last week, EPIC filed a lawsuit to force the Federal Trade Commission to require Google to honor its previous commitments to Google users. EPIC has alleged that the proposed changes in the company's practices violate a 2011 Consent Order."

(Source: EPIC)

"State Attorneys General Write to Google

In a letter sent earlier today, 37 state attorneys generals (or their equivalents) wrote to Larry Page, Google's CEO, "to express our strong concerns with the new privacy policy that Google announced it will be adopting for all of its consumer products."

According to the letter:

Google’s new privacy policy is troubling for a number of reasons. On a fundamental level, the policy appears to invade consumer privacy by automatically sharing personal information consumers input into one Google product with all Google products. Consumers have diverse interests and concerns, and may want the information in their Web History to be kept separate from the information they exchange via Gmail. Likewise, consumers may be comfortable with Google knowing their Search queries but not with it knowing their whereabouts, yet the new privacy policy appears to give them no choice in the matter, further invading their privacy. It rings hollow to call their ability to exit the Google products ecosystem a “choice” in an Internet economy where the clear majority of all Internet users use – and frequently rely on – at least one Google product on a regular basis.

The state officials ask that Google meet with them, and request a response by February 29.  There has been no response from Google yet, although it would be difficult for Google not to meet, even if it has no intention to change anything."

(Source: Security, Privacy and the Law)

Cette lettre n'est pas sans rappeler celle envoyée il y a quelques semaines à Google par le Groupe de l'article 29 (lettre et réponse). 

• ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER, "State Attorneys General Cite Privacy Risks to Android Users, Demand Meeting with Google", Latest News, February 22, 2012.
• Colin J. ZICK, "State Attorneys General Write to Google", Security, Privacy and the Law, February 22, 2012.