Forum Moderators: martinibuster
No-one reads the full page ones anyway and I doubt most novices understand it in the first place. So it must be possible to create a minimal one that links to some other explanation, preferably on google's own service?
How about:
Privacy policy: some of our advertisers use technology such as
cookies and web beacons [google.com] to record your IP address and browser capabilities.
LOL! But seriously, what more is needed? It's such nonsense.
seriously, what more is needed?
Your short sentence is OK, but I remember Google requiring also some language making users aware of ways to block cookies and web beacons. Though I am not fully clear on how to block web beacons.
But seriously, what more is needed? It's such nonsense.
It's probably like those newspaper advertisements for new car leases. At the bottom is some very very small print explaining all the terms and requirements. You have to get out a magnifying glass to read it.
Some group of politicians & lawyers got together and decided if this specific text was included in every newspaper ad, the auto dealer would be protected from certain claims or lawsuits. If the exact language isn't included, the protections don't exist.
Then the politicans, lawyers, auto dealers and newspaper publishers put out a press release telling us how hard they worked to protect us consumers from ourselves.
Then the politicians, lawyers, auto dealers and newspaper publishers take a long weekend off to go look for some vacation home property.
FarmBoy
I remember Google requiring also some language making users aware of ways to block cookies and web beacons. Though I am not fully clear on how to block web beacons.
I can't find where they require that and here's the more important point - we don't provide tech support to end users, that's not our job or responsibility.
If people don't like it they either need to turn to the people who provide the ads (Google), the people who made the browser, or the people who made their OS. Once you open the door to telling people to make changes to their browser/OS you are certainly liable for any damages they make by messing it up. I'm not telling people to change things, that's tech support 101 - change as little as possible or you are responsible.
Even Google doesn't tell people how to disable cookies - just that it's possible:
[google.com...]
What I really want to post would be kinda offensive but more accurate:
You are being tracked across the web by Google and every site you visit. We can't stop it or help you and there's virtually nothing you can do about it. Google knows you searched for dirty pictures the other night and saves that info for years. So if this bothers you, turn off the computer, go outside or maybe just read a nice book instead.
[edited by: amznVibe at 2:46 pm (utc) on May 13, 2008]
we don't provide tech support to end users
Sure. I just remember having read something along the lines that Cookies, for example, can be disabled in the browser. In our privacy policy we mention this, but tell them to contact the supplier of their web browser with questions on how to do it.
And yes, you are right, I don't think it is our responsibility to make users aware and provide tech support - Google should ultimately do this, e.g. by putting a privacy policy link next to the ads. But then again, if mighty Google tells us to jump through hoops, we do.
What's a web page cost these days? ;)
What's a web page cost these days?
A page that makes your site look scary and forboding because it contains insane legal jargon and unfamiliar technical terminology? That page could cost you visitors. That is if they read it.
Google doesn't even give guidelines as to what the minimum content of such information should be or where the link should be located, on every page or just one page? You could have a 8px link buried on an obscure page and still meet their requirements. Unless they are just planning to use this to create arbitrary rules later on justify kicking people out of adsense at will.
Which I guess is my point. IMHO a single sentence is much more honest and likely to be read.
I guess I come from a different perspective in that I have nothing people could steal from me via lawsuits. If someone was stupid enough to sue me in civil court they'd get zero, perhaps less than zero considering their legal fees. I don't make more than 5 digits a year and I don't own a home.
[edited by: amznVibe at 11:14 pm (utc) on May 13, 2008]
You are being tracked across the web by Google and every site you visit. We can't stop it or help you and there's virtually nothing you can do about it. Google knows you searched for dirty pictures the other night and saves that info for years. So if this bothers you, turn off the computer, go outside or maybe just read a nice book instead.
that's a work of art
