Look at the location data that Google has collected about you, and you’ll see yourself in a whole new way, writes NYT's John Herrman.In August 2018, the Associated Press published an investigation into how Google handles the data it collects, following a curious discovery by a graduate researcher at UC Berkeley. For years, the company has allowed users to control their ‘location history,’ a detailed record of where they’ve been, based on their activity in Google Maps.This, the researcher suggested — and The AP confirmed — did not work as advertised. “Some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking,” the reporters found. The revelation has since resulted in at least one lawsuit, and has renewed public criticism from lawmakers.We’re aware that Google is logging our whereabouts. Google Search, for example, helps us find things, and it uses our location to supply more relevant information (by … [Read more...] about Life reduced to dots on a map: A look at the data Google collects
Google apps help center
BR Exclusive! Dan Oros, Google: After helping 7,000 Romanian companies we turn to students with good business ideas
Google, the IT giant, has several programs for helping SME’s and start-ups. In Romania, so far, the company have concentrated on online marketing, helping 7,000 companies through ‘Grow by Google’- Atelierul Digital. Now it has moved on education, with courses for programming, and to ideas that can be turned into businesses. Dan Oros, Google Romania’s Marketing Manager, talked to Business Review about the things that Google does in Romania in order to create better businesses or helping them to develop further. „We are promoting now an app called Market Finder, useful for all companies that want to export. The tooll is free and helps companies understand what country needs their product. For example: you produce wines and want to export; you can see through the application who is looking for and where is looking for wines or Romanian wines. And then you make the decision to export based on data, not on intuition,” says Oros. „In addition to … [Read more...] about BR Exclusive! Dan Oros, Google: After helping 7,000 Romanian companies we turn to students with good business ideas
Google clarifies its location-tracking policy
SAN FRANCISCO -- Google has revised a help page that erroneously described how its "Location History" setting works, clarifying for users that it still tracks their location even if they turn the setting off. On Monday, an Associated Press investigation revealed that several Google apps and websites store user location even if users have turned off Location History. Google has not changed that practice. But its help page now states: "This setting does not affect other location services on your device." It also acknowledges that "some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps." Previously, the page stated: "with Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored." The AP observed that the change occurred midday Thursday, three days after the AP's initial report. In a statement to the AP, Google said: "We have been updating the explanatory language about Location History to make it more consistent and clear across our … [Read more...] about Google clarifies its location-tracking policy
EU Is Fighting the Last Tech War Against Google
The greatest hope of European regulators cracking down on Google’s business practices is that the rest of the world becomes a little more like China and its flourishing technology industry. It’s hard to imagine the European bureaucrats’ dreams will come true. In China, government restrictions and Google’s strategic decisions have left the country’s technology market to operate almost free from the search giant’s grip for years. As a result, Google’s web search is a bit player. Local companies dominate internet searches and just about every other technology imaginable. They have sold billions of smartphones running modified versions of Google’s Android software, but without Google’s apps or app store. Homegrown companies have sprung up to create valuable, innovative consumer technology services that are seeding ideas for the rest of the world. China’s technology explosion might have happened even … [Read more...] about EU Is Fighting the Last Tech War Against Google
Lost in Google Translate: England Fans Struggle With Language Barrier
Picture the scene: you're in a coffee shop, in Samara, with a hangover. All you want is a cappuccino and a croissant, but the Cyrillic alphabet is standing in the way of your nourishment. The only thing to save you now is Google Translate, so you pull it up on your phone. Michael Holden, Bristol, UK: "All I wanted was a croissant, but the app doesn't understand my accent — instead of a coffee, it asked the waitress for a camel ride — I honestly don't know how it got there!" Michael is not the only one with problems. Just among English fans, there are around 41 dominant dialects. Google Translate struggles with all of them but the Queen's English. © Sputnik / Maud StartLost in Google Translate: England Fans Struggle With Language Barrier Jane Holland, Wiltshire, UK: "My host family gave me a lift to the center, I wanted to compliment the driver on his car. He … [Read more...] about Lost in Google Translate: England Fans Struggle With Language Barrier