Comments on: Google draws privacy complaint to FTC

Three public-interest groups are expected to ask for a government investigation into issues posed by Google's DoubleClick acquisition.

[Dwight Stickler]

Privacy and the Internet

People crying "privacy rights" many times have something to hide.

But there is on the other hand a constitutional ammendment in place that guarantees the right to privacy at least for US Citizens.

I think that a reasonable expectation exists within the mind of most internet users that they will in fact be able to maintain their privacy.

The reality may be much different. Most people who are savvy enough to "cover their tracks online" and who require for some legitimate reason "privacy" as to their online user activities; already know how to maintain that privacy through the use of proxy surfing, cookie and adware deletion, even script inhibition.

Quite frankly, if you legitimately need privacy as to what you do online, it is incumbent upon each individual user to initiate and maintain protocols for keeping sensitive information secure.

Likewise, if Google and Doubleclick merge and somehow that massive database that everyone knows they will build is breached; then they will be sued. And will have to settle.

Trying to block the merger is much like trying to keep the National Do Not Call list and telemarketing legislation that was passed a few years back from actually passing.

I watched as these knuckleheads from a very well respected and succesful telemarketing management company spend literally hundreds of hours trying to get the telemarketing legislation not to pass. Guess what? They failed miserably. And it passed.

Why? because lawyers in general profit from representing clients. And where there is a cause, there will always be a client and lawyer who wants to benefit in some way from either opposing it or lobbying for it.

Why is our society the most litigious in history? Because we made it that way.

The only real concern with this merger is who's stock to buy. google's or doubleclicks? or both? the merger will go through so, savvy investors will profit. And before it goes through a few lawyers will garner massive fees feeding on the controversy.

[djpaisley]

Don't want google to have your data? use yahoo or MSN!!

If you have a computer.. microsoft has access to your data... whether you use google or not.

If you don't want Google to have your search queries, use another search engine.

Google doesn't sell our data, they use it to make search better, discover trends, etc..

These people need to get a life.

[john55440]

Just say No! to Google...

Just say No! to Google Search, and Gmail, and other Google applications, and DoubleClick cookies.

[jatos]

Oh do be quiet

Google is by far the best search engine on the net, and so far it has a very good track record when it comes to safeguarding private information!

If worried about privacy on the Internet, don't use the net!