On its face, this sounds like it should be a relief to many consumers: less tracking, more privacy. But in reality, the opposite may be true, says tech writer Bob Sullivan, author of the book “Gotcha Capitalism.” “You’ll still be getting tracked, and now you’ll be getting tracked more effectively,” says Anthony Mullen, a senior analyst at Forrester Research. It should be noted Google isn’t the only one snooping on Google searches: The NSA has reportedly hacked Google so it can spy on searches.
In fact, the tech giants would use their new systems to harness that tracking data themselves, the Wall Street Journal reports. Facebook’s new ad service places Facebook code on retailers’ sites so that the retailer can put an ad on Facebook’s mobile app. Google will use a unique ID that could help it connect data from users across its suite of products, including Gmail, the Chrome browser, and Android phones, the Journal reports. Microsoft will use a unique identifier to help marketers follow users across the Windows 8 and 8.1 operating system apps on tablets and PCs. Apple already uses a unique ID to help marketers monitor users on its smartphones and tablets, the Journal reports. “It’s a goldmine for companies in terms of personal information,” says Scott Steinberg, CEO and strategic innovation consultant for tech research firm TechSavvy Global. “It will ensure they’re sitting on a well of oil, which they can drill into deeper and deeper with each use of their app, features and services.”
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-microsoft-develop-new-ways-to-snoop-2013-10-31?dist=lcountdown
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