Who Cares About Your Privacy?

Filed in archive Analysis , Companies , Internet , Privacy & Security , Society & Public Policy on July 30, 2007

While they say will do not evil, be wary of Google. Microsoft does a better job in protecting you. Slightly. So says Privacy International in A Race To The Bottom: Privacy Ranking Of Internet Service. The company has tracked your personal privacy on line since the early 1990s.

In recent years personal privacy has come under increasing assault as people disclose more personal information to companies they expect will protect it and advertising companies are bought by Internet giants.

Privacy International conducted an extensive report that looked at Corporate Leadership, Data Collection and Processing, Data Retention, Privacy Policies and Awareness, and Privacy Enhancing or Invading Innovations.

Here is where some top Internet companies fared in order of privacy friendliness.

PRIVACY-FRIENDLY AND PRIVACY ENHANCING
None

GENERALLY PRIVACY-AWARE BUT IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT
eBay
Wikipedia

GENERALLY AWARE OF PRIVACY RIGHTS, BUT DEMONSTRATE SOME NOTABLE LAPSES
Amazon
MySpace
Skype

SERIOUS LAPSES IN PRIVACY PRACTICES
Friendster
LinkedIn
YouTube

SUBSTANTIAL AND COMPREHENSIVE PRIVACY THREATS
AOL
Apple
Facebook
Microsoft
Yahoo

COMPREHENSIVE CONSUMER SURVEILLANCE & ENTRENCHED HOSTILITY TO PRIVACY
Google