Too Social

Is Google watching you? The real story (and worry) of new privacy policies

Since its incorporation in 1998, Google has become so much more than a search engine.

A mailbox, dictionary, encyclopedia, telephone, social network, library, calendar, map, a wallet and a keychain, plus YouTube and so much more, Google has amassed a collection of sites and resources and wrapped them into one.

We never even imagined that something like this would exist, so we certainly didn't recognize any threat.

Though you can't opt out of the new privacy policies, you do still have the option to close your account.

But threatened is exactly how users felt this week upon learning of the company's changes to privacy policies and terms of service.

That update, which the company will implement on March 1, combines more than 60 separate privacy policies (excluding Google Books, Google Wallet and Google Chrome, which will keep their privacy policies, but may still be integrated) into one. And there's no option to opt out.

"Our new Privacy Policy makes clear that, if you’re signed in, we may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services," writes Alma Whitten, director of privacy, product and engineering, in a post.

"In short, we’ll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience."

The company says that the changes, which take place on March 1, will "create a beautifully simple, intuitive user experience across Google."

As for user protections, Google says those won't change. It promises not to share your information with outsiders — but now that Google has taken over so much of the market, selling data to other companies isn't an issue. It can just be passed on to its subsidiaries for free.

Though you can't opt out of the new privacy policies, you do still have the option to close your account. Google is committed to data liberation, so you can export your information to other services.

As Rob Pegoraro said, "'Google' is not a synonym for 'the Internet'; you can use other services." Like Netscape for email, WordPress or Tumblr for blogging, Flickr rather than Picasa for photos.

Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Beyonce Super Bowl

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”

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