http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/google/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/festival-of-obvious-ideas-6-dump-facebook/ There’s only one thing worse than a person who spends all their time on Facebook. The person who spends all their time on Facebook bagging it out. You know the ones. Well, how could you not. They’re always on the damn thing. Posting riveting status updates such as: “I hate you Facebook” and “Grrr, what’s with all the changes?” Fact is, nobody forced you to join up in the first place. Second fact - it’s actually really easy to quit Facebook. You just delete your account, end of story. But still they stay. Moaning, posting and updating. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/festival-of-obvious-ideas-6-dump-facebook/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/festival-of-obvious-ideas-6-dump-facebook/#item6956 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Googles-license-to-print-money-is-under-siege/ For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Googles-license-to-print-money-is-under-siege/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Googles-license-to-print-money-is-under-siege/#item6189 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-would-indy-think-of-facebook/ I always wanted to be Indiana Jones. In addition to being the quintessential whip-cracking he-man, Indy got to dig up ancient relics and shiny physical memories of glories past. Archaeology has always had a magical appeal to me. There’s a real romance to it that few other pursuits can match. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-would-indy-think-of-facebook/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-would-indy-think-of-facebook/#item4850 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-is-google-really-doing-with-your-personal-details/ In today’s society, most Australians are pretty comfortable with sharing personal information, with at least one major caveat – that we clearly know what our information is being used for. Understanding how the information that organisations collect from us is used is the key guiding principle of our Privacy laws. Our privacy regime is consent-based – if you understand why private and personal information is being collected and consent to the purpose for which it is being collected then that information can be used for that purpose. Social media and the more successful Internet business models fundamentally challenge this notion – because commercial success is often predicated on knowing as much as you can about your individual users and being less than upfront about how that information will be used. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-is-google-really-doing-with-your-personal-details/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-is-google-really-doing-with-your-personal-details/#item4435 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-27-09-2010/ Google was founded today in 1998…that’s right, there was actually life before Google. It’s Monday at The Punch. What’s on your mind? Share it here. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-27-09-2010/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-27-09-2010/#item4108 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/googles-tidy-profit-from-the-political-keyword/ I was interested to see that the Australian Electoral Commission has received complaints about political parties buying Google adwords in each other’s names: thus, when someone was searching on Google for “Julia Gillard” they would be served an ad for Tony Abbott.  And vice versa, someone searching “Tony Abbott” was served a Julia Gillard ad. Of course, under these “sponsored links” the usual “relevant” search results would appear. The Sydney Morning Herald reported Google’s response: “Both the Liberal and Labor parties have been savvy in adapting their search advertising tactics throughout the campaign including bidding on other politicians’ names.” feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/googles-tidy-profit-from-the-political-keyword/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/googles-tidy-profit-from-the-political-keyword/#item3812 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-should-be-made-to-tell-us-what-it-knows-about-us/ It seems that Google’s continued mishandling of the wi-fi snooping incident means it has a different interpretation of the phrase “cooperating with authorities” than what the rest of us would reasonably expect. The New York Times recently reported that Google has given European investigators only remote access to data now stored in Mountain View, California.  Data those investigators need to determine if Google breached various tough privacy laws. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-should-be-made-to-tell-us-what-it-knows-about-us/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-should-be-made-to-tell-us-what-it-knows-about-us/#item3506 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-the-pot-and-the-kettle/ What is it about our love affair with Google that we let them take wholesale liberties with our privacy, and sit back and watch what might be one of the largest data breaches in history go by without so much as a whimper? After some prodding, Google recently admitted to European Privacy Commissioners that they had “mistakenly” collected the contents of communications between some computer users, as part of their “Street View” activities.  Mistakenly.  All around the world. For four years. It goes something like this: specially equipped “Street View” vehicles criss-cross entire nations, taking photographs of our houses and streets, geo-tagging the location with both a GPS and also by “sniffing” for WI FI connections in the area.  That way, when a person uses a Google product to locate themselves (like Google Maps), and there are WI FI networks detected nearby, Google can triangulate the device and give you an approximate location.  Pretty cool, and nothing really too scary about that, even though there were privacy concerns raised at the time.  We trusted Google. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-the-pot-and-the-kettle/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-the-pot-and-the-kettle/#item3118 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-world-is...-trying-to-find-out-how-to-quit-facebook/ This graph shows the number of people searching the term “delete facebook account” on Google was up to five times higher than usual last week. The new wave of concern over Facebook’s privacy settings is mainly being driven from the US, after some high-profile technology commentators quit the social networking site. However the next graph (over the jump) shows over the past year Australia has led the pack among English-speaking countries on searches for the same term. The spectacular spike at the end shows the more recent volume against the trend. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-world-is...-trying-to-find-out-how-to-quit-facebook/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-world-is...-trying-to-find-out-how-to-quit-facebook/#item3106 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-doesnt-do-evil-but-it-is-creepy/ While visiting Google headquarters outside of San Francisco I saw a rather strange thing. Out in the rain there was a man in one of those single person wave pools that gives the physical illusion of swimming laps. Perched over him was another man in a puffy red life savers jacket, complete with white cross on the back, sitting on a miniature life guard’s chair watching the swimmer. I would have taken a photo but you’re not allowed to take photos inside Google, in fact, you’re not allowed to do much at Google. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tory Shepherd) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-doesnt-do-evil-but-it-is-creepy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/google-doesnt-do-evil-but-it-is-creepy/#item2767 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:28 +0000 For the first time, the Federal Trade Commission in the United States will conduct an inquiry into Google which will not be limited to mergers and acquisitions, or violations of privacy, but fundamental issues relating to Google’s core search advertising business model. This follows the European Commission probe which commenced late last year. The European Commission stated that it “will investigate whether Google has abused a dominant market position in online search by allegedly lowering the ranking of unpaid search results of competing services which are specialised in providing users with specific online content such as price comparisons (so‐called vertical search services) and by according preferential placement to the results of its own vertical search services in order to shut out competing services.” Google has argued over the years that it does not manipulate search results and that its algorithms are designed solely to deliver the most relevant results to search queries; however it has fiercely protected its algorithm or secret black box.