This post is in response to the question "Do you feel like Google should use any surveillance methods on their users?" posed by @hattiehughs14
After listening to Dr. Epstein’s talk over Google and his research, I have come to realize the capabilities of big tech companies is endless and an obvious invasion of our privacy. With something as mainstream as Google with hundreds of millions of users daily, Google has the ability to track and use surveillance on the entire world. I do not believe this is morally right, especially considering this is hidden in the terms of service and not blatantly advertised. In my opinion, Google should have the ability to monitor users tendencies and websites they have visited, but only to a certain extent.
I believe that the limit should stop at providing businesses with analytics regarding their click rates on their website and things of that nature. Those businesses can use those analytics to better tailor their product of their website to what the people want and would rather purchase. Anything other than that is a no go for me. It was extremely frightening when I realized from the talk that Google has been tracking where I have been through Google Maps and how long I stay there. Considering I have used Google Maps nearly every day for the past three years I have been driving, I cannot imagine the amount of data on me that Google has access to, and has definitely sold to various companies. From now on I will probably be switching to Waze or some other navigation system. In addition to this, the fact that Google can tailor different videos to you depending on your political views is absurd. The blatant suppression of right leaning videos to moderate conservatives is a direct violation of freedom of speech and is plan censorship.
Overall, Google should stop the behind the scenes surveillance of consumers without them knowing. The only way I see this to be ok is when e-commerce businesses need the analytics to understand their business, but even that should be common knowledge to consumers. Other than that, the surveillance of consumers using Google products should be a thing of the past.