Google has been collecting what seems like limitless amounts of information to benefit their business model. As discussed in class, Google has implemented many different systems which are speculated to be for information collection purposes. Some of the services have been proven to not be solvent. Services such as Google 411 and YouTube actually lose money for Google. However, they must be beneficial for Google in other ways since they continue to be available.
Another prime example is the Google Book service. Google has been scanning books and making them searchable. On the surface, it would appear that Google's plan with this service is to attract web traffic in order to profit off of advertising. However, some speculate that Google's intentions for this project is to amass as many examples of human language as possible in order to to analyze it and create natural language algorithms to improve search functions.
Many people worry that with all this information Google is collecting, nefarious intentions could be carried out. I don't see Google acting in the manner anytime soon, but I do recognize it as a valid fear.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Days of Controlled Internets are Upon Us
I find it funny that many see issues with the infringement of net neutrality further down the road. I believe that these days have already arrived, and this is going to be a never ending struggle. Rheingold discusses how the original internet architect's intent was to create a network that connected networks together... a fully distributed system.
However, today, governments and internet service providers are desiring more and more control over their internet users. ISP's are now utilizing a technique known as "deep packet inspection" which allows them to observe what types of data and data transfer are taking place with their customers. They can then use this knowledge in order to "throttle back" or even disable services that customers are using.
One of the largest targets of internet service providers are the peer-to-peer(P2P) networks, such as bitTorrent. This network allows users to send data to each other directly, rather than through a centralized server. This network is perfectly legal and can be used that way. However, many use the network to send a receive pirated material. The ISP's claim that this is the reason they specifically interrupt these networks. However, many speculate the real reason is that they do not approve of the required bandwidth of P2P networks. Similar "throttling back" has been seen for online game users as well.
Perhaps, the only thing that will protect the neutrality of the internet is legislation that mandates it. However, the very ones that want control over it would be the ones that legislate it. We're out of luck, I guess?
However, today, governments and internet service providers are desiring more and more control over their internet users. ISP's are now utilizing a technique known as "deep packet inspection" which allows them to observe what types of data and data transfer are taking place with their customers. They can then use this knowledge in order to "throttle back" or even disable services that customers are using.
One of the largest targets of internet service providers are the peer-to-peer(P2P) networks, such as bitTorrent. This network allows users to send data to each other directly, rather than through a centralized server. This network is perfectly legal and can be used that way. However, many use the network to send a receive pirated material. The ISP's claim that this is the reason they specifically interrupt these networks. However, many speculate the real reason is that they do not approve of the required bandwidth of P2P networks. Similar "throttling back" has been seen for online game users as well.
Perhaps, the only thing that will protect the neutrality of the internet is legislation that mandates it. However, the very ones that want control over it would be the ones that legislate it. We're out of luck, I guess?
Friday, March 4, 2011
"There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some Exchange Students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt.
The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.
In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, "Do you know how to catch wild pigs?"
The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line.
The young man said this was no joke. "You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a Fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd." http://www.squidoo.com/howtocatchapig
The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.
In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, "Do you know how to catch wild pigs?"
The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line.
The young man said this was no joke. "You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a Fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd." http://www.squidoo.com/howtocatchapig
This story refers to a government's slide into communism, but is it too far-fecthced to describe what is happening with consumer privacy? Perhaps this is a bit extreme, but then again, we are in uncharted territory.
It seems that in this day and age, we find ourselves in a bit of a conundrum:
We freely give up our privacy to companies whose desire to profit in return for a service, which is often free and "beneficial" to us.
This creates a conflict of interests. In order for us as the consumer to receive services that we desire, we must give up personal information. This can include some services we desire, such letting netflix record movies we enjoy watching in order to provide selected related movies that the also might enjoy. However, as seen in recent events, this "anonymous" data can actually be linked back to a specific person using de-anonymizing algorithms.
There are also companies that use our information in ways we may not approve of. However, we still freely give these companies personal information. In example, we observe how Google Ads uses our search data and website history to "better serve" us with advertisements that better suit our interests. This is a clear example of how a company lures you in with a free service in order to profit off of the information they receive from the use of the service.
As long as free services, such as web searches and internet browsers are available, the companies will always have the desire to collect and profit of of user's personal data. I see in the future an increase in company's hands reaching into our personal lives. As long as the free feed is out there for the taking, we will continue you be fenced in.
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