Sen. Franken asks Google to address concerns about Chromebooks, Google Apps collecting student data

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  • Reply 21 of 39
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member
    tundraboy said:
    Ok, it's not as if this occupies most of his time.  Aren't you glad that at least one senator cares enough to ask what the hell for are these companies are gathering so much information on kids?
    I'd rather that one senator actually had one of his people do some basic research before kneejerking when the one of the sponsors of the SPP said the EFF was wrong in it's assertions.  Wasting time in the name of "What about the children" is still wasting time.
    Having the FTC look into it is pretty straightforward. And that's their job. Franken dictating a letter takes all of five minutes. 
    edited January 2016
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  • Reply 22 of 39
    latifbplatifbp Posts: 544member
    latifbp said:
    These a--holes can say that, but my son was using his Google account to login to YouTube and started getting marketed YouTube videos with nudity so, um, I think they've got some problems on their hands.
    Oooookay.  Here's a pro tip:  Making up stuff just to push a narrative.  Yeah, not really effective.  People know you're lying.  Even those who hate Google know your anecdote is fabricated.  Try harder.
    There are multiple Russian YouTube accounts that have nude candid camera videos. That can be verified and I'm not going to post the link here and violate the forums rules. Go check for yourself. I am also a user of Google Apps for Work as they are one of only a very few companies that provide a BAA for HIPAA compliance, unlike Apple.
    edited January 2016
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  • Reply 23 of 39
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,470member
    gatorguy said:
    This "Student Privacy Pledge" isn't legally binding, is it? I seriously doubt it. How can this organization go crying to the government to  enforce a nonbinding agreement?
    I would HOPE it's legally binding, but not entirely certain where the law stands on it. Not that it would matter in this case as the Student Privacy Pledge group itself came out and said Google is absolutely following it's commitment and the EFF is off-base on this one.
    https://fpf.org/2015/12/01/future-of-privacy-forum-statement-regarding-electronic-frontier-foundation-student-privacy-complaint/
    Not really interested in who is right or wrong on this, but I'll take the EFF over the list of advisors that are part of the Student Privacy Pledge group when it comes to privacy.
    Deeeds
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  • Reply 24 of 39
    latifbplatifbp Posts: 544member
    gatorguy said:
    Impossible it had anythiong to do with Google since don't even allow advertising that includes nudity, references to sexuality or sexual persuasion, religion, medical issues or any other highly personal subjects. Advertisers are also precluded from collecting any of that information themselves via any Google services. So I call FUD good sir.  If your son was getting "porn" suggestions I suggest it was due to something other than Google marketing. 
    maybe he needs to have a nice long talk about what he has been "looking at"

    Personally I'm not one to overreact to a child being exposed to nudity. But the fact his history on YouTube led to such recommendations for him to view does bring validity to this reported complaint. I would have preferred my son use his iCloud email account, but his school requires a Google domain through their Google school accounts. It's a real issue
    montrosemacs
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  • Reply 25 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    tmay said:
    gatorguy said:
    This "Student Privacy Pledge" isn't legally binding, is it? I seriously doubt it. How can this organization go crying to the government to  enforce a nonbinding agreement?
    I would HOPE it's legally binding, but not entirely certain where the law stands on it. Not that it would matter in this case as the Student Privacy Pledge group itself came out and said Google is absolutely following it's commitment and the EFF is off-base on this one.
    https://fpf.org/2015/12/01/future-of-privacy-forum-statement-regarding-electronic-frontier-foundation-student-privacy-complaint/
    Not really interested in who is right or wrong on this, but I'll take the EFF over the list of advisors that are part of the Student Privacy Pledge group when it comes to privacy.
    I generally do to. But just like a couple of instances where they called Apple to task the EFF appears to be a little overly sensitive in this particular case. 
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  • Reply 26 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member

    latifbp said:
    gatorguy said:
    Impossible it had anythiong to do with Google since don't even allow advertising that includes nudity, references to sexuality or sexual persuasion, religion, medical issues or any other highly personal subjects. Advertisers are also precluded from collecting any of that information themselves via any Google services. So I call FUD good sir.  If your son was getting "porn" suggestions I suggest it was due to something other than Google marketing. 
    maybe he needs to have a nice long talk about what he has been "looking at"

    Personally I'm not one to overreact to a child being exposed to nudity. But the fact his history on YouTube led to such recommendations for him to view does bring validity to this reported complaint. I would have preferred my son use his iCloud email account, but his school requires a Google domain through their Google school accounts. It's a real issue
    Oh, I've no doubt that there are a very few videos on YouTube that include nudity. Google does have specific rules concerning it but doesn't outright ban it across the board. https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802002?hl=en What I ( and others) seriously doubt is that your son was directed to them out of the blue. Unless of course he's your 21-year old son with a computer and too much time on his hands. :) Videos with nudity on YouTube are age-restricted
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  • Reply 27 of 39
    latifbp said:
    These a--holes can say that, but my son was using his Google account to login to YouTube and started getting marketed YouTube videos with nudity so, um, I think they've got some problems on their hands.
    Oooookay.  Here's a pro tip:  Making up stuff just to push a narrative.  Yeah, not really effective.  People know you're lying.  Even those who hate Google know your anecdote is fabricated.  Try harder.

    Says the umpteenth new troll account since AI switched to the new forum.

    I've had my kids served up nudity/pornography while looking for Pokemon. The tricks assholes will use to get people to visit porn sites is beyond ridiculous. It's obvious the poster was talking about tracking and being served up ads that related to things they did at school, not about nudity. Apparently you're not capable of comprehending the difference.
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  • Reply 28 of 39
    metrixmetrix Posts: 256member
    latifbp said:
    These a--holes can say that, but my son was using his Google account to login to YouTube and started getting marketed YouTube videos with nudity so, um, I think they've got some problems on their hands.
    Oooookay.  Here's a pro tip:  Making up stuff just to push a narrative.  Yeah, not really effective.  People know you're lying.  Even those who hate Google know your anecdote is fabricated.  Try harder.
    I think he is right you don't need to go very far just looking at drag racing to find bikini clad women pushing the envelope of not showing everything. Not complaining but don't want my kids getting this at school
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  • Reply 29 of 39
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,470member
    gatorguy said:
    tmay said:
    Not really interested in who is right or wrong on this, but I'll take the EFF over the list of advisors that are part of the Student Privacy Pledge group when it comes to privacy.
    I generally do to. But just like a couple of instances where they called Apple to task the EFF appears to be a little overly sensitive in this particular case. 
    EFF is a watchdog group with privacy as one of its primary goals. They are doing their job just as Al Franken is.

    SPP is an industry group, not an education group. I figured this out when I saw that Wal Mart was an advisor. I stopped there.

    I'd bet Coca Cola is on a similar group supporting food nutrition at schools.
    Deeeds
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  • Reply 30 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    latifbp said:
    These a--holes can say that, but my son was using his Google account to login to YouTube and started getting marketed YouTube videos with nudity so, um, I think they've got some problems on their hands.
    Oooookay.  Here's a pro tip:  Making up stuff just to push a narrative.  Yeah, not really effective.  People know you're lying.  Even those who hate Google know your anecdote is fabricated.  Try harder.

    Says the umpteenth new troll account since AI switched to the new forum.

    I've had my kids served up nudity/pornography while looking for Pokemon. The tricks assholes will use to get people to visit porn sites is beyond ridiculous. It's obvious the poster was talking about tracking and being served up ads that related to things they did at school, not about nudity. Apparently you're not capable of comprehending the difference.
    Ads promoting nudity did not come from Google. Porn? Not a chance in hell it came from them. They don't accept ads from porn sites.Another instance where we should know the difference. 

     Perhaps it was via a specific search or maybe it came via Bing/MS? I don't know if they have the same rules. I do know that when I discovered my teenage son going for a look-see he was using Bing Video. Glad I was the one who stumbled on that rather than my wife. 
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  • Reply 31 of 39
    No, what Google does is suggest other videos you might like based on your past viewing habits. That might be interpreted as "promoting nudity" when it's really Google's ordinary tracking algorithms at work.
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  • Reply 32 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    No, what Google does is suggest other videos you might like based on your past viewing habits. That might be interpreted as "promoting nudity" when it's really Google's ordinary tracking algorithms at work.
    They send you those porn video suggestions without asking for them? I don't recall Google sending me any video suggestions, much less porn. Maybe you get different results? Now if I search for a video I might get immediate suggestions for similar ones immediately after viewing the current one. That's not the same as simply browsing and suddenly being offered porn from Google out of the blue.  
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  • Reply 33 of 39
    Touchscreens with virtual keyboards are a nice mobility feature that, frankly, don't offer any real benefit to classroom work. (Duh.) For a device that cost vastly more than a really decent Chromebook to purchase, let alone administer, one would think that Apple would at least have the sanity to throw in something as essential to the practical use of their iPad as a Bluetooth keyboard. Is it any wonder Apple is choking in Google Chromebook's dust?
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  • Reply 34 of 39
    Regardless of the porn issue, Google is collecting information on children when they made an agreement they would not. When caught doing so, they reply that it isn't their problem. 

    That's the real issue here. And Google is wrong. Perhaps it will take legislation introduced by Al Franken that threatens to cut the federal funding provided to the schools should they choose to continue forcing Google accounts and devices on our children before Google takes action. 

    Profiling voluntary adults is one thing, but profiling children who are forced to use a technology device is a completely different matter all together. 

    Google could have and should have responded better. Now, they should be thrown out of the educational process all together. I for one will be writing both of my congressional senators and representative to let them know how I feel. And if they promise to take action, may even donate to their next election campaign. 
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  • Reply 35 of 39
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,769member
    Regardless of the porn issue, Google is collecting information on children when they made an agreement they would not. When caught doing so, they reply that it isn't their problem. 

    That's the real issue here. And Google is wrong. Perhaps it will take legislation introduced by Al Franken that threatens to cut the federal funding provided to the schools should they choose to continue forcing Google accounts and devices on our children before Google takes action. 

    Profiling voluntary adults is one thing, but profiling children who are forced to use a technology device is a completely different matter all together. 

    Google could have and should have responded better. Now, they should be thrown out of the educational process all together. I for one will be writing both of my congressional senators and representative to let them know how I feel. And if they promise to take action, may even donate to their next election campaign. 
    What information is Google collecting on students using Google Chromebooks for Education?
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  • Reply 36 of 39
    latifbplatifbp Posts: 544member
    gatorguy said:

    latifbp said:
    Personally I'm not one to overreact to a child being exposed to nudity. But the fact his history on YouTube led to such recommendations for him to view does bring validity to this reported complaint. I would have preferred my son use his iCloud email account, but his school requires a Google domain through their Google school accounts. It's a real issue
    Oh, I've no doubt that there are a very few videos on YouTube that include nudity. Google does have specific rules concerning it but doesn't outright ban it across the board. https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802002?hl=en What I ( and others) seriously doubt is that your son was directed to them out of the blue. Unless of course he's your 21-year old son with a computer and too much time on his hands. Videos with nudity on YouTube are age-restricted
    He was directed to these nude candid camera videos due to watching other candid camera YouTube accounts very popular with teens like Ross Creations
    edited January 2016
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  • Reply 37 of 39
    koopkoop Posts: 337member
    I'm not really sure how Google makes money on Chromebooks for education. If they are truly adhering to their education privacy pledge and their GAPPS for education doesn't cost anything, they are literally making NO money. I'm guessing they technically still make money on the Google Searches that students make. 

    Google has such a crazy long game here. I can't imagine it would be difficult to license GAPPS for education at $5 per student and monetize the service. They'd still be severely cheaper than competitors and they'd pull in decent revenue from the millions of students that use the service. 

    I'm not even sure FREE is in Google's cards for much longer. If Youtube Red is any indication of how Google is starting to perceive the ad business.
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  • Reply 38 of 39
    gatorguy said:
    latifbp said:
    These a--holes can say that, but my son was using his Google account to login to YouTube and started getting marketed YouTube videos with nudity so, um, I think they've got some problems on their hands.
    Impossible it had anythiong to do with Google since don't even allow advertising that includes nudity, references to sexuality or sexual persuasion, religion, medical issues or any other highly personal subjects. Advertisers are also precluded from collecting any of that information themselves via any Google services. So I call FUD good sir.  If your son was getting "porn" suggestions I suggest it was due to something other than Google marketing. 
    A lot of Russian based Candid Camera stuff comes up under humor. If you check out Ross Creations stuff you'll inevitably be 'recommends' under 'Recommended Videos' many Russian nude Candid Camera stuff. I know what porn is and this was not it, strictly YouTube based recommendations from history from my sons Google school account.
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  • Reply 39 of 39
    gatorguy said:
    latifbp said:
    These a--holes can say that, but my son was using his Google account to login to YouTube and started getting marketed YouTube videos with nudity so, um, I think they've got some problems on their hands.
    Impossible it had anythiong to do with Google since don't even allow advertising that includes nudity, references to sexuality or sexual persuasion, religion, medical issues or any other highly personal subjects. Advertisers are also precluded from collecting any of that information themselves via any Google services. So I call FUD good sir.  If your son was getting "porn" suggestions I suggest it was due to something other than Google marketing. 
    I was at surprised as you. You can verify this by looking for nude Russian candid camera videos. They're all over YouTube
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