Google defends changes to privacy policy

{mosads}”Our updated privacy
policy makes it clear in one comprehensive document that, if a user is signed in, we may combine information
she has provided from one service with information from our other services,” he added. 

“We’ll treat that user as a single
entity across all our services, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience.”

Chavez also notes that most of the changes apply when users are signed into their Google accounts. He noted many of Google’s products, including YouTube, Google Maps and Google Search can be used without signing into a Google account.

“If a user is signed in, she can still edit or turn off her
search history, switch Gmail chat to ‘off the record,’ control the way Google tailors ads to her
interests using our Ads Preferences Manager, use Incognito mode on Chrome, or use any of the
other privacy tools we offer,” he said.

Lawmakers have expressed concern that users cannot opt out of Google’s new privacy policy, but the search giant noted its practice of sharing data between services is an industry standard adopted by other firms, including Yahoo and Apple.

The firm didn’t provide a clear answer to questions about how long it preserves customer data after a request for deletion. Gmail and Google+ account data is said to be removed “within a reasonable period of time” from Google’s active serving systems, but there was no word on what happens to the data.