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Re: You Have to Try This on Google

__/ [Timmermans] on Saturday 19 November 2005 00:51 \__

> 
> "John Bokma" <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:Xns9712ADE44910Acastleamber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Borek <borek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> > On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 23:00:29 +0100, John Bokma <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> I think Google is on the very top of keeping the data as secure as
>> >> possible. It's their core business, remember?
>> >
>> > I believe Roys refers not to the fact that the data can be stolen from
>> > Google. I think he doesn't like the idea of Google becoming Orwell's
>> > Big Brother.


Yes,  I  actually considered using the term "big brother" in a middle  age
crisis  (investor relations). I am still reluctant to say bad things about
that company though.


>> Google is not a governement. Google doesn't care what you do in your spare
>> time. What they do care about is how they can put an advertisment next to
>> it.
> 
> For now anyway... there have been several issues already... scanning mail
> for content, today for commercial reasons... but why not a co-opperation
> with some intellegence agency to look for strings of certain keywords?  It
> would be logical to look for info where you can find it.  Many inventions
> and techniques from the past were used and abused by the wrong people for
> the wrong reasons.


Exactly.  If someone crashed a plane into skyscrapers and also had a GMail
account, do you really think that the FBI would avoid penetrating datacen-
tres in order to identify accomplices?


> Another thing are the Google earth maps... many countries allready
> complained about it being to accurate for terrorists to abuse, displaying
> sensitive areas or installations, giving coordinates with it.  Today
> resolution is ok, but tomorrow it will get better.  At best privacy within
> the walls of your own home is all that remains, that is, if you do not use
> modern technologies... ...what's next, infrared?  Heat seeking?  Info on
> each house, displaying full address and personal info?  It is not
> unthinkable you know... today the can find you by tracing IP or who knows
> what else ... they can already point out where you live... maybe add some
> info from your ISP or other place that collects these data... put two and
> two together and bingo!  Just a matter of time before you would be able to
> track your own car and thus someone elses online, live...


Does  anyone know these 3-D maps which Google are constructing deriving in
San  Francisco? They are using laser beams to get coloured polygons with a
very high level of detail.

They already plan to do the same in other big cities, potentially with the
intent  of worldwide coverage. Google's 3-D maps are an extension of ideas
from  Satellite Maps, which currently, under Google Earth (Keyhole) do not
look realistic if you look from certain angles.

Surfaces  are  not  truly flat and also the resolution is coarse  as  data
comes  from satellites. Will Google deploy some surveillence cameras  too?
It  is,  after  all,  a "cool idea". Find your favourite  spot  in  Google
Maps/Earth;  then,  have a look at some live cameras in the area. If  that
does  not  worry you, I don't know what would. With perverts and  stalkers
out there, that's the last thing humanity needs. A big brother with a big,
God-like eye that is available as a Web service to all.


> Consider for a moment how fast things evolved, where will you be in the
> next 20-30 years?
> 
> Having blind faith in these things thinking all and everything will be ok
> or turn out for the best would be fairly naive.


I totally agree.

Roy

-- 
Roy S. Schestowitz      | Anonymity - established 2001, Google Groups
http://Schestowitz.com  |    SuSE Linux     |     PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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      http://iuron.com - next generation of search paradigms

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