Swiss data protection urges caution with Google Chrome
The US internet company Google is known as an avid data collector. Internet users should therefore inform themselves well about the new Google Chrome browser, advises Swiss data protection.
The Swiss data protection authority advises internet users to be well informed about the new Google Chrome browser. If too many applications such as e-mails, internet browsers or search engines are used from the same provider, it is questionable in terms of data protection, Daniel Menna, spokesman for the Federal Data Protection Commissioner, told SDA. He therefore advises Internet users to diversify their applications. "If you enter search terms on Google and have an e-mail account there, you shouldn't also use Google's browser". The more additional functions an internet company provides, the higher the risk to privacy. In general, anyone interested in Chrome should read the browser's terms of use carefully.
Google rejects criticism of Chrome and its data protection policy, but has nevertheless changed its data collection practices. On Tuesday, the company announced that in future it will anonymize users' personal connection data after just nine months. Previously, Google stored the search queries of every computer for 18 months. The data collected in this way is lucrative for Google because it allows Internet users to reveal their interests. This allows targeted advertising to be sent to them. However, according to Google, this data is also needed to improve the search engine.
Google rejects criticism of Chrome and its data protection policy, but has nevertheless changed its data collection practices. On Tuesday, the company announced that in future it will anonymize users' personal connection data after just nine months. Previously, Google stored the search queries of every computer for 18 months. The data collected in this way is lucrative for Google because it allows Internet users to reveal their interests. This allows targeted advertising to be sent to them. However, according to Google, this data is also needed to improve the search engine.
