Changes to Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
Today, Google has announced changes to its policies - simplification of terms and policies as they claim. You may view Google's policies on this page. The message is clear. Google wants to push integration by March 2012. The most obvious benefit is "personalized" search. Google has a huge array of services (most are free and very useful even to small business owners). These services include Gmail, Search, Blogger, Youtube, Places, Picasa, Google + etc. If you have a Google account, you only need 1 login username and password to access the rest of the Google services. Google says that when you have integrated accounts, its computers can tailor a better service for you. The Google computers can easily predict what you mean when you search for "Dunedin" - as a place in New Zealand or as a place in Florida. The computers will view a history of your previous searches to give you a search result that most likely fits best what you need. Interesting? Some find it scary - giving too much power to Google, easily. The reality is, this type of tracking has been existent for a while now...
A significant result of this 'integration' is that people would be accustomed to logging on to Google Accounts regularly until eventually internet users will be used to all Google product interfaces... As you know, we are all creatures of habit. Once you get used to one platform, it'll take time to transition to a new one. The implications are apparent... the Giant hasn't been sleeping...
This is a helpful link that will explain more about Google's initiatives. http://www.google.com/goodtoknow/
