14 DAY TRIAL // Nothing is really safe anymore when it comes to today’s technology, but there are some new hints that we should all really worry about Google’s privacy policy.
How many times have you mechanically gone through the pages and pages of notes just to click that “Yes” further down, or ticked that box saying that you’ve read and comprehended the rules and policies?
Most of us have and it’s true that we could be agreeing to pretty much anything, since we can’t be bothered with really reading everything.
Computerworld, however, took the time to go through everything, and the results are surprising – Google has access to a good part of all Wi-Fi passwords in the world.
There are nearly 750 million Android devices in the world and most of them have connected to a Wi-Fi port at least once.
Now, since you’re agreeing to everything Google asks of you, that also means every time you back up your data, the Wi-Fi password comes with it.
The option to back up your data is quite convenient since, if you lose your phone, you won’t have to go to the trouble of saving every number back into the phone or remembering all the passwords to various Wi-Fi networks. But it also means Google gets to have everything in its vaults.
Of course, it’s not like Google actually looks to see what your password looks like, or have any particular use for it, but it does serve as a handy tool to keep its users happy with having to remember very little data.
There are some ways around it, the article reads. For instance, there’s one little checkbox somewhere in the settings area that can help you avoid giving Google this data about you.
In Android 2.3.4, users have to go to “Settings” then “Privacy,” while users of Android 4.2 need to go to “Settings” then “Backup and reset.” There’s a checkbox there where Google offers to back up app data, Wi-Fi passwords, and other settings to Google servers.
Keeping that option unchecked should help add some layers to your privacy.
Considering the recent discussion about privacy and how the NSA has violated human and constitutional rights, the discussion about what kind of information Internet companies have about everyone needs to happen almost as badly as that about the freedoms the NSA takes with our data.