Google plays lip service to user / legislative fears over privacy with a cop out.
I think in previous posts I have made my feelings quite clear on who Google are looking after when they make updates to their SERPs.
And that one thing is usually bottom line, but I think in this case it is subtefuge to hide or brush over bigger privacy issues that people may have.
Search engine optimisation does not make Google money directly (although the business of optimising websites DOES improve the user experience and therefore keeps visitors coming back – increasing the opportunity for users to click on ads).
So in light of the latest update making search more secure what exactly is going on? Now let me be clear this data is interesting to me as a paid search professional but it is not crucial for me to do my job, however, what I really want to highlight is the hypocrisy of Google and the worrying influence that they have.
Firstly, of course search engine marketers do not have to use Google Analytics, we can look at other analytics tools. But Google provided this tool (for FREE) to encourage webmasters to improve their offering – now they’re making updates to reduce the effectiveness. I don’t know a great deal Google Analytics Premium (paid version of GA) but I’m sure those who’re paying for it will not and *should not* accept this.
I await the news on this. And the potential fallout.
But here is my issue with hypocrisy – some may be aware of retargeting / remarketing on the Google Display Network – this uses cookies to collect audiences to then remarket to at a later date (Google literally sits on a user’s computer waiting) – ask a user what they think is more invasive – a tool that collects data anonymously or a tool that allows advertisers to stalk users online, and I’m sure you’ll get the answer – remarketing is more invasive.
Further hypocrisy – I think if you do 10 random searches you will find Advertisers on the Google Search who are advertising WITHOUT a privacy policy on their website. This is part of Google’s T&Cs for running ads – however, how many PAYING advertisers are picked on for not giving their user’s access to a Privacy Policy? Not many I’ll wager.
What I dislike so much here is the feeling that Google get to Police themselves, and they do so by paying lip service like this.
This update doesn’t help protect user privacy and there really are no privacy concerns at this level. There must be more to it, I await a Google blog that gives this away (I bet it sheds more light on the benefit to Google and I’ll bet Matt Cutts doesn’t Tweet it!)
