Google ToS Change Means Your Photo Could Go In Ads 136
An anonymous reader writes "Google [on Friday] announced an upcoming change to its terms of service that will let the company add users' names and photos to certain parts of its advertising as of November 11. Make no mistake: this is a direct attack against Facebook. One of the few advantages of Google+ is that it features no ads. To be perfectly clear, Google isn't changing that. Google+ will still have a clean interface, at least for the foreseeable future. Instead, Google is tying Google+ into yet another one of its properties, and arguably its most important one: Google Ads."
Opt in? (Score:3, Informative)
As I read the ToS, this is an opt in. So if you for some reason want to show your google+ friends, followers, or the world that you "+1" something, your can turn this feature on.
The big differences... (Score:5, Informative)
It seems like there are three big differences between how Google is handling this and how Facebook handled this:
I may have issues with how they're forcing some activities to be public only, but I can't fault them for trying to make it very clear what is public, what is private, and how they intend to respect the difference between the two.
Re:Opt in? (Score:4, Informative)
They've effectively been doing it already with the play store. You can see if any of the people in your circles have added a +1 to any of the apps. It's actually pretty handy.
Re:Attack? (Score:3, Informative)
How is this an attack against Facebook? Are they competing for the title of "most hated social network"?
Who the hell uses Google+? They keep annoying me to use it and I can't find a single use for it.
Re:Opt in? (Score:4, Informative)
Well, I just looked at my google+ account: "Shared Endorsement" is "off" on my account, even though I accepted the new ToS. The ToS I received stated it was something I could enable if I wished.
Doesn't seem evil to me.
Re:Opt in? (Score:4, Informative)
that just means you disabled that setting, likely when you joined google+. that doesn't change the fact that the default is for it to be on. look it up.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57607100-93/google-wants-to-sell-more-ads-using-your-name-and-profile/ [cnet.com]
Re:Opt in? (Score:5, Informative)
wrong. if your check box is off that merely means you disabled it prior to this announcement, probably when you joined, but look it up, FACT the default has always been for that setting to be ON when you joined gooogle+. it is ON by default..
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57607100-93/google-wants-to-sell-more-ads-using-your-name-and-profile/ [cnet.com]
google: do evil
Re:Opt in? (Score:5, Informative)
You can only partially opt-out. Google is intending to use your name and picture without your consent:
"This setting only applies to use in ads, and doesn't change whether your Profile name or photo may be used in other places such as Google Play,"
Re:Attack? (Score:5, Informative)