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Privacy is just a word for a mechanism that prevents data (e. g. personal data) from having an impact somewhere else. A system (the universe, your body, a living cell, even software) must be able to limit the impact of data (or an event / state in the physical world). If a sun explodes somewhere else in the universe we don’t need to worry, cause (when) there is enough space between us and that event. Your body protects itself against dangerous events around you by its skin, wich prevents other organisms from penetrating it. You could find many more examples for ‘privacy’ mechanisms in nature.

As the interconnected world becomes more and more important, the possible impact of data becomes bigger and bigger. As a result there has always been, and will always be a need for an increase of privacy mechanisms.

Google circles is just one example for that: It allows you to control the impact of information, e. g. a ‘wrong’ photo seen by your employer. But unfortunately, Google itself is eager to implement as much impacts as possible by itself. Changing ads are just a simple example, but it also creates ‘search bubbles’ around you, and all of its services are intended to change their behaviour based on algorithms (which are the usual implementation of an impact in the digital space). And they would certainly admit that they want to do so much more. But you can’t shield your data against google on g+, can you? Its like there is an additional person sitting in all of your Google circles. This is only ok as long the impact is low. But low impact doesn’t exactly sound like Google, does it?

As the world is developing, new mechanisms of limiting the scope and impact of information are going to be introduced. Unfortunately, some people will be left out, because the internet doesn’t forget and you may not be able to put the ghost back into the bottle. Google is actively pushing people to do put their data on the web, to do this big mistake. But people are hesitating. Now Google wants to get people accustomed to the idea that private data (your photos) are returned as result of a google search. Once they got used to it, the step to see that data as a regular (global)internet search is not too far. As it will look the same, right? Google search→private data.

1 day ago on Google uses machine learning to pull your personal photos into search results 1 recommend

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It might have regenerated a limb!

2 days ago on Scientists identify cell that could hold the secret to limb regeneration

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TouchWiz is Windows, Samsung is Microsoft, Htc is Apple, Apple and Google are Microsoft, Microsoft is Nintendo, Yahoo is Google, Rim is Blackberry

3 days ago on Samsung Galaxy S4 hits 10 million units shipped, new colors coming this summer 1 reply

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The problem with touchwiz is that Samsung is not good enough at software. Its just there so Samsung can claim ‘we did that device’ (not google).

3 days ago on Samsung Galaxy S4 hits 10 million units shipped, new colors coming this summer

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I own three samsung devices with android. Every one of them had to be sent to samsung’s repair center. Two times samsungs update mechanism bricked the device. But whats true with all samsung devices is that software gets new bugs from samsung over time. After a year you can be sure they don’t care about you because the device is now regarded as old. As a result you have a crappy device with annoying bugs in core functions, like calling or media playback. It is as if samsung wants to ruin your device so you have to buy a new one. I’m really curious how Samsungs success plays out on the long run…

3 days ago on Samsung Galaxy S4 hits 10 million units shipped, new colors coming this summer 1 reply

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Perhaps there a plans for a future xbox zero, which has no hardware at all cause it is completely in the cloud… That might be the reason.

3 days ago on Microsoft's Xbox head: 'If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards'

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Games should be able to exist for centuries, like paintings. This business driven incompatibility by design just to increase the value for new ecosystems is a bad environment for art.

3 days ago on Microsoft's Xbox head: 'If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards' 1 recommend

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There’s only one place that is more suitable for dating than a subway train: The public restrooms in those train stations. This is where you can really shine!

3 days ago on Prague plans subway carriages for singles to find love as they commute

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It can record everything and send it to the internet when it is connected next time. ;-) But I am curious if MS has an option to switch this listening feature of. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Who knows what changes in their future Terms of service they will introduce? We all know companies are going to suck everything out of their users as soon they have bound them to their devices and services…

4 days ago on The Xbox One will always be listening to you, in your own home (update) 1 reply

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The future are drones scanning in the entire planet with kinect-style cameras that create a real highres textured 3d model of our world. Then people can take their occulus rift and visit each other everywhere on the planet. Technology seems to be ready. When can we start???

6 days ago on Google Street View's underwater journey

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The increasing knowledge about your private circumstances gives advertisers powerful tools to work around whatever gets in their way. They already know the songs you are listening to.

7 days ago on What's the difference between consumer marketing and propaganda?

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Science fiction movies do a good job at showing visions around tech. Why not use film industry of the US to show what visions you have, Google?

8 days ago on The horrifying (and fictional) wonders of Google Island 1 recommend

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I’m sure those can be useful for indoor streetview, with live updating. But only a quadcopter version would be cool!

8 days ago on Congress asks Google CEO if Glass infringes 'on the privacy of the average American' 1 reply

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Are you going to that guy with glass+led then and start to argue with him while he is recording you? His facial expression is not being recorded, just yours. The video will contain his point of view, but not yours. He may ask you if you have to HIDE something, explain WHY you are so concerned. Then an other guy with glass+led may appear, asking you again WHAT you have to hide. Suddenly you feel uncomfortable, a feeling you actually WANT to hide. So now you feel guilty when saying “I I I dont’t have to hide anything!”, because you know: It’s not true! You are a liar! Your face turns red, and it becomes even more red as you realize it’s being recorded – twice! Now the other people start to pay attention to that guy with the red head who constantly is assuring he hasn’t anything to hide. And now the crowd turns to you. You realize what you should have realized when you entered the crowded room: That you are the only one left without googe glass+led. Dozens of recording eyes are starring at you now. The mouths below those eyes start to moving, asking you that one question again and again: What IS it that you have to hide? You know too well: Only what those eyes record is regarded as the truth. They know it, too. Closer and closer they come. You on your knees you say the very thing the crowd wants to hear as an answer: “I GIVE UP!!!!”. And a hand reaches out from the crowd. Not to help you up, but to give you a pair of google glass+led. /exaggeration

9 days ago on Will Google Glass create information heroes or new-wave Bluetooth dorks? 1 reply 3 recommends

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I believe the REAL privacy problem is not that you can be recorded with google glass in ackward situations. It is you being recorded AND afterwards find media of yourself on the internet. Where smart algorithms of the present or future will be able to associate it with your identity and you can’t do nothing about it. Peed on your shoe in the public bathroom? Deal with it! It’s a part of your public identity now. Google pushing each and every teenager to publish private data on the internet is at the core of the problem. It is just wrong to have EVERY information of the world accessible via google. It kills privacy, and may even prevent the adoption of innovations like google glass, or, if glasses is actually being adopted by the masses, they may create a clear privacy mess that puts Gooles core strategy into question.

9 days ago on Google on Glass privacy: 'If I'm recording you, I have to stare at you' 1 reply

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Actually, I believe page as CEO is far more agressive. All that bullying people into Google+ was started by him. Google’s tone was not as harsh when Schmidt was the boss.

12 days ago on Eric Schmidt thought 'Don't Be Evil' was 'the stupidest rule ever' when he joined Google 1 reply

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“don’t be evil, don’t act like you’re working for an ad company, have a fancy hairstyle, act a bit silly so that what we do looks naive rather than evil.”

12 days ago on Eric Schmidt thought 'Don't Be Evil' was 'the stupidest rule ever' when he joined Google

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Google made us believe it. I guess they somehow believed it themself. So they are either dumb or hipocrits, or both. In any case one should avoid dealing with them. I did. It feels good not to be part of their dirty game.

12 days ago on Eric Schmidt thought 'Don't Be Evil' was 'the stupidest rule ever' when he joined Google 1 reply

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Time to get rid of this “don’t be evil”-thing, now that Google is the ultimate power in the internet? It has served them well. People believed it for a while. Convinced their friends to trust Google.

12 days ago on Eric Schmidt thought 'Don't Be Evil' was 'the stupidest rule ever' when he joined Google 1 reply 1 recommend