Methinks that Google is going to find itself losing a lot of the trust that it has built up with consumers:

AP Wire 02/09/2006 Google's search feature seeks more access to personal computers:

"SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. is offering a new tool that will automatically transfer information from one personal computer to another, but anyone wanting that convenience must authorize the Internet search leader to store the material for up to 30 days....

To enable the computer-to-computer search function, a user specifies what information should be indexed and then agrees to allow Google to transfer the material to its own storage system. Google plans to encrypt all data transferred from users' hard drives and restrict access to just a handful of its employees. The company says it won't peruse any of the transferred information.

Once another computer participating in a user's personal network is turned on, Google automatically transfers the information so it's available to be searched.

Google intends to delete the information shortly after the electronic handoff, and will never retain anything from a user's hard drive for more than 30 days, said Sundar Pichai, director of product management.

Despite the privacy concerns likely to be raised, Google executives are confident the product will appeal to many people wanting a way to use a home computer to hunt data stored on an office computer, or vice versa.

"We think this will be a very useful tool, but you will have to give up some of your privacy," said Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president of search products and user experience. "For many of us, that trade off will make a lot of sense."

Technorati tags: privacy :: retention :: personal information :: Google :: Search Engines

Labels: google, information breaches, privacy, retention