This article is probably intended as a jab at Google for having a Privacy Policy that is absurdly long.
However, this is also proof of how far we've come in regulating how personal information is identified and stored.
For example, the data comparison between 1999 and 2019 - Simply saying "We collect personal information you provide and clickthrough information" is certainly not enough nowadays. A short and generic policy lends itself to legal abuse, whereas the longer and specific policy tells you exactly what to expect from using the service.
Can things be made more clear? Always. But I think this trend is generally for the better.
What difference does it even make? If they want to collect new info, they just add it to the all encompassing policy for “everything Google” and the opt out option (lose access?) is too detrimental, so I have to agree.
They might as well just say “we collect everything.”
> If they want to collect new info, they just add it to the all encompassing policy for “everything Google”
Well the policy is not a binary blob. Google does more than most services by providing a full archive of their policies, as well as a clear-cut comparison of each.
That's exactly the sort of thing the GDPR is meant to address, actually. They shouldn't be able to force opt-in of a policy to access a service that doesn't itself need that information.
Also in Google's defense, the services (and ostensible benefits) Google provides in 1999 vs 2019 are so far different in scope that it's not a particularly helpful comparison/contrast. The year of GMail's launch vs 2019 would cut more to the point.
However, this is also proof of how far we've come in regulating how personal information is identified and stored.
For example, the data comparison between 1999 and 2019 - Simply saying "We collect personal information you provide and clickthrough information" is certainly not enough nowadays. A short and generic policy lends itself to legal abuse, whereas the longer and specific policy tells you exactly what to expect from using the service.
Can things be made more clear? Always. But I think this trend is generally for the better.