The age of anonymity in the Internet, assuming there ever was one, is rapidly coming to a close.

Last Thursday ushered in two major events: the onset of March Madness and the enactment of Google’s new privacy policy. While excitement swept the web for the former, cries of outrage and warnings to clear user data reverberated across the Internet in anticipation of the latter.

The Internet giant’s new policy will aggregate 60 separate policies under one umbrella, enabling the company to collect information about a user from many Google services. On any given day, your activity on Google Search, YouTube and Google Maps can be analyzed. The company can record what you’re looking for, what entertainment you’re consuming and where it’s all being done.

According to Google’s ‘Policies and Principles’ page, the information collected is wholly for your benefit.

It states: ‘We use the information we collect from all of our services to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, to develop new ones, and to protect Google and our users. We also use this information to offer you tailored content — like giving you more relevant search results and ads.’

Sounds kosher enough. But flip to another section of the policy and the web of contentment starts to unravel.

Under ‘Device Information,’ Google informs users that the company may collect device-specific information, like their hardware model, operating system version, unique device identifiers and mobile network information, including phone numbers.

It continues to state: ‘Google may associate your device identifiers or phone number with your Google Account.’

Say what? So, not only will Google keep track of what I’m searching for and where I’m searching for it, but they’ll be recording information about my phone, too?

The personalization of this new privacy policy may have its perks, but its vagueness is unsettling, said Michele Riley, a sophomore television, radio and film major with a minor in information management and technology.

‘I think making ads more relevant to users is a good thing. I personally enjoy seeing advertisements for things that I’d like,’ she said. ‘But some of the data they collect is so strange and totally unnecessary. Why would Google ever need this information?’

Sure, a service provider knowing about its customers has its perks. Maybe it will make your auto-search a little more accurate. Maybe it will keep you from getting ads like ‘sign up for Christian singles dating’ when you’re actually Jewish. Maybe it will help all your Google accounts and services function in perfect harmony.

What seems to be the take-home message is that each of Google’s 1 billion users is a giant dollar sign that becomes more valuable when the company can compile a more complete profile about the person behind it.

Samuel Hochberg, a senior sports management major, sees the new privacy policy as a smart business move that will put the company ahead.

‘The main motivational force is obviously money,’ he said. ‘From a research perspective, you’re telling every single company out there that you have the digital lives of every user signed into Google or Gmail.  That’s something that every company wants.’

Currently in legislative arenas across the globe, the concept of the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ is heavily debated. The emergence of one more vehicle of data collection is particularly concerning, so this potential right would enable individuals to request the removal of personal information.

But this can threaten freedom of speech. And enhanced privacy policies such as Google’s threaten a man’s right to anonymity. There appears to be no middle ground.

What seems to be data collection for practical purposes can become something much more sinister: In the digital age, data is money, power and leverage. At the end of the day, the company with the most data will reign supreme. The collection of search preferences and location via cell tower may seem simple enough today, but take that down the road and you could essentially map out the life of a man.

Jessica Smith is a senior information management and technology and television, radio and film dual major. Her column appears every Tuesday. She can be reached at jlsmit22@syr.edu.

Published on March 5, 2012 at 12:00 pm