Why don’t you just call it Google Proxy… don’t be evil mmmkay?
Saw this on Jeremy Zawodny’s blog…
Taking it one step further than Google Web Accelerator, we have Google Secure Access. Instead of just your browsing through Firefox going through Google, they now have a downloadable that encrypts and routes all your net traffic through Google’s servers.
Upside: if you use an unsecured WiFi network (either completely open or WEP “protected” - can you really call it protected if it can be broken in a matter of minutes?) the Secure Access client would be nice. It’s pretty much VPN-grade security for everyone and of course, it’s free!
Downside? Well… what are they doing with all your net traffic history? Here’s an excerpt from their GSA privacy policy:
Google may log some information from your web page requests as may the websites that you visit. We do this to understand how Google Secure Access is being used and to improve our services.
Ok, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say they are hopefully just using aggregate metrics to optimize and improve the service. Worst case though is that “understand how Google Secure Access is being used” means understand how you personally use the Internet. Ok, ok, enough conspiracy theory.
For any other concerns, it refers you to the standard Google Privacy Policy. So I clicked through and started reading it. I got to this part:
Google collects limited non-personally identifying information your browser makes available whenever you visit a website. This log information includes your Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your query and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser. We use this information to operate, develop and improve our services.
Ok, I guess my IP address and a unique browser cookie aren’t specifically personally identifying, but what if I log in to a Google Account and have the credentials cached? Does that get tracked along with these other stats?
Either way, it makes me feel like I’m being watched… oh well, if GMail taught us anything, we’ll trade privacy for convenience any day 
UPDATE: I see Nathan Weinberg over at InsideGoogle picked this up too. Methinks we have a similar read on the service, but I’m willing to give them benefit of the doubt while he says “follow the money”.
September 20th, 2005 at 2:10 am
You are always extremely critic with Google, why?
BTW I think you are right, Google wants to collect info about users’ behavior, how they use internet, where and what they click …
Google needs this infos to improve its services, no doubt, before with Web Accelerator and now with Secure Access.
September 20th, 2005 at 6:38 am
Methinks that if Google wants this data, there are plenty of people willing to give it up, so why not just ask for it instead of trying to use a sly backdoor? Alexa has proven that people will install products specifically designed to track their movements.
September 20th, 2005 at 8:32 am
Hi Luke, I don’t think I’m biased against Google persay; I’ve got plenty of stuff to say about Microsoft and Yahoo as well
And of course, if someone says “My motto is ‘don’t be evil’”, then I’m going to hold them to that.
September 20th, 2005 at 8:36 am
Nathan - Interesting point. Google’s in a dominant position though, so if they openly claimed to be tracking people they might just use up that list bit of trust people have in them.
September 20th, 2005 at 2:14 pm
> Hi Luke, I don’t think I’m biased against Google persay
Hi mark, I know … I was joking, I appreciate your style
September 20th, 2005 at 7:49 pm
Oh… hehe cool, thanks