2. Google+ launched in 2011: a social
networking site allowing users to categorise
their friends into online ‘Circles’, choosing
who they share what information with
(Google, 2011a).
3. Privacy is a natural concern for users
sharing information on social networks.
Users must agree to the Google terms of
service to use Google+. So is Google+ a
safe haven for those with privacy concerns?
4. GOOGLE+: WHO OWNS WHAT I
POST?
You own the information you upload to Google+.
BUT, Google have a non-exclusive license you use
that information (in whatever form they like, be it
modified or original) on any of their ‘Services’ - such
as Gmail, YouTube, Picasa etc (Google, 2011b).
5. SO HOW CAN THEY USE MY
INFORMATION?
Google specifies that their use is to ‘display, distribute and
promote the Services’. Google+ needs to be able to ‘display’
your information on your profile, and distribute it to your
‘Circles’. They can use this information on all their Services (eg.
linking your Google+ & Picasa accounts) (Google, 2011b).
6. THEY ALSO SAID ‘PROMOTE’
THOUGH...
Yes. Technically, Google could take a photo
from your profile and use it on a billboard to
promote Google+, or even promote another
Google site that you don’t even use, such as
Gmail (Google, 2011b).
7. CAN ADVERTISERS SEE MY
INFORMATION?
Advertisements within the Google+ interface
are targeted based on the information you
provide. This is algorithm based; Google+
does not share your personal information
directly with advertisers (Google, 2011b).
8. SO WITH ALL THIS SHARING OF MY
INFORMATION, CAN I USE A
PSEUDONYM?
Google has recently announced plans to change this
(ZDNET, 2011), but currently, you must use your
real name. If you use a name that doesn’t sound
‘legitimate’ by Google’s (undisclosed) standards, your
account will be terminated (Google, 2011c).
9. BUT WHAT IF I LEAVE GOOGLE+?
AND HOW DO I LEAVE, ANYWAY?
You can terminate your agreement with Google at any
time, by informing them in writing and closing your
account. BUT, their license to use your information is
in perpetuity, so even after you end the agreement,
your information can still be used (Google, 2011b).
10. CAN GOOGLE TERMINATE THE
AGREEMENT WITH ME?
Yes, at any time. They will do this if you have
breached any term of the agreement (eg. by
posting something illegal or by using a
pseudonym), or if for whatever reason, they decide
to cease offering their services (Google, 2011b).
11. CAN GOOGLE+ FILTER MY
CONTENT?
Yes, for any reason at all. If Google was asked, say, by a
Government, to filter content by its users, this would be at
Google’s discretion. In the first half of 2011, Google
complied with 40% of the Australian government’s requests
to remove content (Google, 2011d).
12. COULD GOOGLE GIVE MY
INFORMATION TO THE
GOVERNMENT?
Yes. Google is transparent with the amount of information
requested of them by various Governments, though not
with the details of the information itself. In the first half of
2011 in Australia, the percentage of data requests fully or
partially complied with was 73% (Google, 2011e).
13. SO SHOULD I SIGN UP?
Google+ is relatively transparent about how it uses your data, and
most of its terms and conditions are reasonable when considering it
provides a free service. However as your personal information can
be used in perpetuity, it is up to each user to consider the terms and
conditions, and, once accepted, the information they upload.
14. REFERENCES:
Arthur, C. (2011, June 30). Google+ blocked in China. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://
www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jun/30/google-plus-blocked-china
Goldstein, J. (2011). How I Evaluate Terms of Service for Social Media Web Sites - Google+. Retrieved from
http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog/2011/07/08/how-i-evaluate-terms-of-service-for-social-media-web-sites-
google/
Google. (2011a). Google+: Learn More. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/intl/en/+/learnmore/
Google. (2011b). Terms of Service. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS
Google. (2011c). Your name and Google+ profiles. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/support/plus/bin/
answer.py?answer=1228271
Google. (2011d). Google Transparency Report: Content Removal Requests. Retrieved from http://
www.google.com/transparencyreport/governmentrequests/removals/
Google. (2011e). Google Transparency Report: User Data Requests. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/
transparencyreport/governmentrequests/userdata/
Google user licenses: clarification would be nice, but they’re not panic-worthy. (2011). Retrieved from http://
www.bagandbaggage.com/blog/2011/7/10/google-user-licenses-clarification-would-be-nice-but-theyre.html
Weinberger, M. (2011, October 20). Google+ pseudonym support is coming soon. ZDNET. Retrieved from
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/google/google-pseudonym-support-is-coming-soon/3409
