# Why Is The U.S. So Much Less Worried About Google Than . . . Everyone Else? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 14, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666 "2010-07-14T15:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/21 "2010-07-14T18:35:32Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > uh… > > [Canada’s privacy czar launches Google investigation](http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h5I9HmARgbBYVBs59SzWLcMiyH2w) From the article (bolding mine): > [@](#): > > The move follows similar probes in Austria, Germany, Italy and the **United States** after Google admitted its Street View cars, which have been cruising and taking photographs of cities in over 30 countries, had inadvertently gathered fragments of personal data sent over unsecured Wi-Fi systems. Why does the OP think that the US is less worried than everyone else? Also, all the reports that I have seen indicate that Google reported themselves. Has anyone heard to the contrary? Is there a serious privacy issue here? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/22 "2010-07-14T18:56:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > On the other hand, Europeans seem to be much more cavalier about government-run cameras all over the place. While here, private companies run them, in what seems to me to be pretty damn close to a free money scheme. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/23 "2010-07-14T19:07:30Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > Why does the OP think that the US is less worried than everyone else? It’s a somewhat subjective impression. But other than the WiFi grabbing, I have not heard anything about retaining searches, or StreetView images, being under any criticism or attack in the U.S., but have heard it in other jurisdictions. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/24 "2010-07-14T19:11:34Z")
> [@jk1245](#): > > You can bet if Google were a German company, a lot more US citizens would be concerned. How many people even know what country it’s based in? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/25 "2010-07-14T19:30:13Z")
Many companies are somewhat vague in terms of nationality, but for a few it’s common knowledge. Everyone in the world knows that Toyota and Sony are Japanese, and everyone in the world knows that Microsoft, Apple and Google are American. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/26 "2010-07-14T20:13:51Z")
Hmm…how much does a [U.S. online comedy magazine](http://www.cracked.com/article_18540_5-reasons-you-should-be-scared-google.html) count as “representing the U.S.”? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/27 "2010-07-14T21:35:49Z")
Americans have a lot more freedom than a lot of the world. For instance, some European countries ban the book “Mein Kampf” Can you imagine anyone in America supporting this? (OK a few fringe people). But if I said, let’s ban it, the first reaction out of most Americans would be “How dare you tell me what I can and can’t read.” Even though they have no intention of reading it. Some European nations have laws against Holocaust Denial. Can you imagine that going over in America? OK it’s stupid, but most Americans would cringe that the government could tel lthem what to think and prevent you from saying it in published or other forms. If I want to write a booklet about why the Holocaust is made up, I have that right. And you have the right to write another booklet that takes mine apart bit by bit and makes me look stupid. But few Americans would say “You don’t have right to make that book to begin with.” Even back in the colonial days the British tried to ban Americans from going over the Appalachian Mountains. This was to appease the Indians. Americans shot back by going over them and settling there anyway saying “Who are you to tell me what to do.” As for Australia if you read about it, it has some of the most restrictive Internet laws around. OK few are enforced but they’re there. Google Australia and Internet censorship. Americans are willing to put up with a lot of interferences if a greater good is gained. The right to take a picture in a public place for example. Finally we also have that pesky 1st Amendment that gets in the way. Other countries have similar things but they’re often written much more directly so less interpretation can be made from them. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/28 "2010-07-14T21:47:20Z")
In practice, though, there isn’t a _lot_ of difference between us and Canada and western Europe in terms of free speech. Take a look at the recent threads on filming arrests or expressing a wish for misfortune to occur to political leaders online. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/29 "2010-07-15T00:46:16Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Many companies are somewhat vague in terms of nationality, but for a few it’s common knowledge. Everyone in the world knows that Toyota and Sony are Japanese, and everyone in the world knows that Microsoft, Apple and Google are American. Well, _I_ didn’t know that Google was American until this thread. I’d never given the matter any thought. > [@Markxxx](#): > > Americans have a lot more freedom than a lot of the world. For instance, some European countries ban the book “Mein Kampf” Can you imagine anyone in America supporting this? (OK a few fringe people). But if I said, let’s ban it, the first reaction out of most Americans would be “How dare you tell me what I can and can’t read.” Even though they have no intention of reading it. We aren’t more free; we are just restricted in different ways. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/30 "2010-07-15T04:51:13Z")
Google is a US company. Other countries see them as dangerous foreigners. We don’t have that particular lens. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/31 "2010-07-15T05:28:03Z")
Ooh, ooh! Can I indulge in a bit of stereotyping? Americans are okay with privacy invasion as long as it’s a private corporation doing it. Europeans are okay with privacy invasion as long as it’s a government entity doing it. That’s more than a bit tongue-in-cheek, but can you _imagine_ how freaked the US would be if the federal government had attempted something like Streetview? ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/32 "2010-07-15T08:59:44Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone really being serious about the ‘threat’ that is Google, people are pointing out they collect a lot of data on internet behaviour and use it to make money. it might be true we care more about privacy issues here (especially given the US actions after 9-11) but I wouldn’t know for sure. If we do it is more about our national government breaking privacy codes than internet search engines, we are now transfering to an oyster-card-style public transport card that would make it possible to determine where anyone was at any given moment (within the system) and we are discussing a similar system for cars so we can levy more taxes on cars that drive during rush hour. The point is we are getting to a place where it soon will be possible to find out where anyone was at any given time, this is what people are worried about and are trying to make sure there are very strict conditions to using this data. ---
**Author:** ![Baboonanza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/33 "2010-07-15T09:28:59Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Americans are okay with privacy invasion as long as it’s a private corporation doing it. Europeans are okay with privacy invasion as long as it’s a government entity doing it. I actually don’t think that’s far off the mark. Afterall, who would you rather have in charge of private data? A multi-national corporation serving only the bottom-line and it’s shareholders and with whom who you have no influence at all; or a government that is supposed to be operating in your interest and over which you have a degree of influence via democracy? Ignoring questions of competance the second seems preferable to me. The other problem is potential future danger. Google may be relatively benign now but they undeniably have huge sway over the internet and a lot of information about Eurpean citizens. Who’s to say they won’t come up with some profoundly evil way to make bucket loads of cash when it’s too late to stop them? I’d much rather have institutions in Europe keeping an eye on them now to keep them in line than just letting it slide until a major cluster-fuck happens. Like the US let happen with BP for instance. Despite what the free-marketards think corporations cannot be trusted to police themselves. > [@Markxxx](#): > > Even back in the colonial days the British tried to ban Americans from going over the Appalachian Mountains. This was to appease the Indians. Americans shot back by going over them and settling there anyway saying “Who are you to tell me what to do.” And you think this is a good thing? Do you think it’s admirable that Isreali settlers set-up anywhere they like in the West Bank saying “Who are you to tell me what to do?”. I think Europeans have a somewhat more circumspect view on freedom than Americans, who to us seem to prize some ideological notion of ‘Freedom’ over actual practicalities and even common sense on occassions. I’d also like to add that the GM debate in Europe isn’t all about irrational fears and psuedo-science. For one thing we tend to be more interested in what goes into our food than the average American and are therefor more aware of the issue, and for another there are legitimate concerns about the way companies like Monsanto try and use GM to excert power over farmers (particularly in the developing world) using patented and sterile crops. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/34 "2010-07-15T09:44:04Z")
> [@Gustav](#): > > We are? Where is this impression coming from? I’ve never heard of any such sentiment that at all. In this case, “the Europeans” means “some European governments”. It’s like the difference between “people from the USA” and “the Americans”, where this second one usually means “the Federal Government of the USA”. Your average European citizen (EU or not) is perfectly happy using StreetView; most don’t understand enough about WiFi (or computers in general) to be worried about the data capture aspect. There are European citizens and corporations (and the EU) which specifically tell people not to use Google Translations because of privacy issues, but StreetView is waaaaay below most people’s Worry Radar. ---
**Author:** ![Baboonanza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/35 "2010-07-15T10:53:12Z")
StreetView in particular is a very odd case because in many ways it’s one the _least_ invasive of Google’s data collection strategies. Data such as emails, IM conversations and browsing/searching histories are much more invasive and easy to data mine (and therefor more valuable) than a picture of the front of your house. Yet it’s the only one people get riled up about, because people are ignorant fools. This is why it took Google by surprise when people reacted so strongly to it. They already know about the mistress that you arrange to meet through gmail, that you like anally oriented porn, that you’ve been considering buying some new lawn furniture and that your child has been wetting the bed recently. But you’re only complaining about them taking a photo of your house? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/36 "2010-07-15T12:32:53Z")
Heh. That reminds me of my cousin’s kid, who works for Google. I was just talking to my cousin about him, and she mentioned the interviews he had to pass before he got the job, when I asked, “Wait… why did he need an interview, anyway? They’re _Google_. They already know everything they need to know.” Of course, he got the job back in 2003 or so, so maybe they weren’t as omnipotent back then… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/37 "2010-07-15T12:44:29Z")
Omniscient, **Alessan**. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/38 "2010-07-15T12:51:20Z")
There were some ridiculous concerns early on when Google implemented their email system, IIRC at least in part because their software was “reading” your email to target ads based on the content. That was an idiotic concern IMO, your email is being read by lots of software before gets in front of your eyes. It _has_ to be read by software to get in front of your eyes to begin with. And if you don’t want targeted ads, just don’t use Gmail. Thankfully that idiocy went away, but I wonder if Americans “got over it” early on, and that’s why they complain less now. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/39 "2010-07-15T13:13:38Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Omniscient, **Alessan**. That’s just what they want you to think. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666/40 "2010-07-15T13:17:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > On the other hand, Europeans seem to be much more cavalier about government-run cameras all over the place. It is only really the UK that has cameras all over the place and the majority of those are run by private companies. I think the answer to the question is quite simple, Europeans generally care more about privacy when it comes to data protection. As far as I am aware the US doesn’t have an equivalent to the UK’s Data Protection Act, which itself was the UK’s implementation of the EU’s Data Protection Directive. [Data Protection Act](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_protection_act) [Data Protection Directive](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Protection_Directive) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-u-s-so-much-less-worried-about-google-than-everyone-else/546666.md?page=3)