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It's more obvious now, but I think it has been quite a process from day one and still a lot of customers don't understand how they pay for the services google provides.



I feel like this is a common Internet Legend. People were 100% aware of gmail and its privacy since day one.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/115692/article.html

EDIT: Quote > But Google is planning to scan e-mail and add advertisements that it thinks are relevant to the messages. Additionally, the Gmail privacy policy warns that messages, even if "deleted" by a user, may still be stored in the system, even long after users have closed their account--something that some privacy campaigners believe may be in conflict with U.S. and European data protection and privacy laws.

Article about privacy right there. I talk with people and they always say Google was forced into reviling they read people's gmail. Wasn't true.


> People were 100% aware of gmail and its privacy since day one.

I think that statement is too general. From where I was sitting, it looked like people didn't think about privacy at all, and the only thing they were saying was "Holy shit, this is free!" Are you sure the people you tend to talk to are representative of the general population?


My statement was Google's Communication.

Your statement is did people care? That answer is if they did they wouldn't use Google services or FaceBook or most of the Internet.



I don't know seems very basic to me. They removed the ability to display ads off on the Administration Panel and they no longer will be mining data from student emails. Why is it MUD if it was an option to turn on ads?


There are a lot more details in this sibling comment. Have you read it and the linked article?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11012392

They hid and lied about the facts about ad tracking of Education and Apps emails etc. until they were forced to testify about it in federal court and no one was clued into it. Once they got caught tracking and making money on it for many many years they rolled back some stuff. How is that clear communication?

Or how is that "Google has been very upfront on exactly how their business model works with users since day one." ?


> Google is planning to scan e-mail and add advertisements that it thinks are relevant to the messages.

I remember when people were scandalized by this, a minority in my circle but it was funny. Of course they were going to do that, what did they expect. I think Google is "evil" now for other set of reasons though.


Just because it's in some ToS doesn't mean people were "100% aware of its privacy". A large percentage of people still don't know about it.


It's still not in the TOS today. You can read Google's privacy pages today in vain for a mention of "we read all of your incoming and outgoing email and sell the information to companies so they can target ads at you".

The closest statements are mealy-mouthed ones along the lines of "we collect information about how you use our services and use that information to improve our services". Which is true of every single business in the history of the world.


> The closest statements are mealy-mouthed ones along the lines of "we collect information about how you use our services and use that information to improve our services".

> Our automated systems analyze your content (including emails) to provide you personally relevant product features, such as customized search results, tailored advertising, and spam and malware detection.

https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/


So, does that mean, for example, anything you type in a non-public Google Docs is auto scanned for advertising purposes?


[deleted]


Well I fail to see HOW Microsoft makes money on browser history?

I do find it VERY interesting that the first time we get to see the "New Microsoft" profits that the profits were down BUT higher for "cloud."

> Under his leadership, Microsoft has been shifting its business towards cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure, Dynamics CRM and Office 365. http://www.computerweekly.com/news/4500272095/Microsoft-shar...


The profits were down in the GAAP numbers which involved Microsoft deferring $1.9 billion in revenues. In the non-GAAP (traditional) numbers, revenues were down 2 percent but profits up by 8 percent. This is why the shares jumped in after-hours trading.

Otherwise, yes, revenues in the More Personal Computing division were down (with the PC market) while Intelligent Cloud division revenues were up slightly.




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