SIGNING up for online services almost always includes clicking on something that says "Accept".
But not many people seem to know what they're accepting. We hardly ever read through the boring text that accompanies the sign-up process and outlines the agreement between you and the provider of whatever it is you're signing up for.
But some of these services have access to your every detail and personal content. You may be giving away more than you realise.
If you were to visit my Facebook profile at time of writing you would have to use the URL http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=573701180 - but after this weekend you'll be able to go to facebook.com/simondingle or just facebook.com/simon if I get my way.
Facebook is introducing unique usernames and addresses this Saturday, when a virtual land grab will ensue. It is a little late to this. I already have twitter.com/simondingle - this username approach has been available from the micro-blogging service from the get-go.
My rather unfortunate surname is to thank for the availability, but if my name was Mark Smith it would be considerably more difficult to secure my real name.
The reason I want these names is because Facebook and Twitter are my two most important business tools. The easier it is for people to find me on them, the easier for me to extend my networks and connect to the right people.
Propagating identities
Facebook is not only the world's number one social network, but also a custodian of its users' identities. It even aggregates these via Facebook Connect, as does Twitter with its own authentication service. Both allow you to log into other websites without having to create an account - just link them to your identity on Facebook or Twitter, if the third party supports it.
What this means is that Facebook and Twitter have evolved into identity vaults; they are online repositories of people's credentials, and other information that accompanies this.
Facebook in particular has incredibly detailed stores of information on its users and their likes and dislikes, political affiliations and other persuasions. But it pales in comparison to the master of online profiling - Google.
Google offers free email services to myriad users, along with other online applications and services. All are routed to a central user account monitoring your online activity.
If you have a Gmail account, look in the top right-hand corner of your browser the next time you visit the Google search page at www.google.com or www.google.co.za. If you see your email address there it means you have a persistent login to Google, and are being virtually followed around on the internet.
Google offers free analytic tools to website owners with its Google Analytics product, which requires a code to be embedded on users' websites. A majority of modern websites use the service, and if you visit one while the persistent connection to Google is active, the search giant is able to mine details of exactly what you are doing on that site.
King of the castle
Think about the amount of information Google has on you - it stores and references all your email, and knows what you are searching for on the internet. If you use gCal, the free calendaring service, it has your schedule. If you use Google Apps it has documents you have created. And the list goes on; Google knows more about its users than anyone else.
If you read the user licence agreement most people accept without reading when they sign up for a Google account, you will find that Google claims the right to do just about anything it wants with this information.
Google relies on this database for its core business: selling advertising. The company's online advertising products are modelled on providing contextual advertising for its users. The more it knows about you, the better it can target you with advertising.
Soon this will include location-based information. Cue the corresponding Google service: Google Maps - providing users with mapping data for the whole world and, again, free.
So now, Google knows not only who you are and what you're interested in, but also where you are. And since all new smartphones have GPS devices in them, which Google provides its mapping service for, your location can be tracked whenever you're using the service.
Soon the advertising model for this will kick in. It's lunchtime, you're out seeing a client, Google knows you like pizza - and there is an Italian restaurant over the road. If that restaurant is a Google AdWords customer, guess whose ad you're going to see on your phone?
Location, location
By now, it should be obvious why Google is aggressively tackling the cellphone market with the Android operating system it developed and customised services for to be used with any and all mobile platforms.
Instead of trying to drive the market to its own platform, it is rather making sure its services are compatible with all. Google has no desire to sell you a phone - but it wants to make sure you're using its services on whatever phone you do use.
Google's strategy can almost be described as beautiful in its foresight and execution. Over the years, the company has been orchestrating a move to absolute context for internet users and a business model to capitalise on it.
While other vendors have been questioning the value of mobile, Google has driven a cohesive strategy that enables users of any connected mobile platforms to feed Google's mammoth store of contextual information.
So when you hear that Google's informal corporate motto is "don't be evil" one hopes the company truly lives by it, and acknowledges the responsibility that comes with storing people's valuable and highly personal information. Imagine if the baddies ever managed to hack into that database.
- Fin24.com