First of all, it’s up to the individual to choose to use any of those Google services. So if anybody is all that concerned about privacy, all they have to do is opt out of using a Google service. The fact that the alternatives generally cost money while Google’s are free is really not something that we can blame Google for, is it? After all, they are undeniably bringing a new choice to the ecosystem.

Secondly, while it’s probably true that every move we make while using a Google service is recorded somewhere, it’s not like there’s a sentient being – a real Big Brother — hiding back in the server farm looking at our every move. That would require way too much (expensive) storage and compute power. All Google can cost-effectively do is search for keywords or other ad-triggering info amongst the vast sea of otherwise irrelevant data that we spew out while using Google services. So Google is only going to keep the metadata that matters to them — and personally I feel reasonably secure with Google’s commercial objectives. My concern would be if government steps in to require that they be provided access to our Google data too. Then it’s a different ball game.

There is still a very big world out there on the other side of the fence though. Wonder if someday there will be fights between the virtual techie clickers and the dirt world stompers. Those who live in the “cloud” vs. those who work without the need for gadgets, devices and virtuality.

So while there may seem to be someone watching most of the folks I know work hard creating / teaching / building and fixing. (yes, I can see my house on Google maps) The virtual world / phone / etc. are a minor part of their life.

The worry I have is about which reality will the important decisions be made on? That which can be clicked and stored in a cloud and watched on a video? Or the stuff people do every day with tears, laughter, pain and sweat.

Go clickers. Hooray for stompers. (I am rooting for both)

Our threat is the little brother next door, as somebody posted correctly. What’s needed in this century is again more of the “Big” — to protect us from the “Little”. It’s not bombs that threaten us but rather box cutters, noisy blog posts, crappy snap shots, random phone calls.

My spam comes from a kid in China, not Google. Google and Apple protect me from spam and viruses better than any open source clique ever could. It’s the independent “free” open sourcers who pose the real problem with all their incompatibilities, bad taste and all too frequent updates.

I want my life easy and I want guidance. Therefore I accept some loss of freedom and look to the 10 comandments. I take the other pill and enter the Matrix. So should I wear a head scarf to protect my privacy or wear sunglasses at night? It may be fashionable to discuss this style, like here, but in real life — no thank you, don’t need it.

Hillel, your “fear” that you outline in your blog here is purely theoretical. People who seed fear are the ones I personally fear most. God bless you.