The Google logo for Charles Addams 100th birthday

What does Google think it knows about you?

We all understand that Google is accumulating all kinds of information about us. Now you can check out what it thinks it knows about you.

First, check out this story at BusinessInsider.com. Then, if you have any Google account [gmail, igoogle, google+ accounts -- generally all with the same log-in] sign-in and then check out your own stats.

Google correctly figured out that I was a male, 55-64 [I'm smack in the middle]; that I like politics, computers, space + technology, and that I shop on-line for clothing [I wish, of course, that Google thought I was 10 years younger]

Thankfully I spend zero time searching for erotic material, YouTube videos about cats, and conspiracy theories about Google data accumulation.

If I take this as a harbinger of the extensive data that Google and others will accumulate about me in the future, my opinion would take a conspiratorial tone. But for now, the returned data is benign and very general. For Google and other to have sufficient data to sell + target advertising they need to know their users; after all this IS their business. Users will demand the right to opt out, edit, or remove data.

Hopefully this won’t require the government to get involved, and that the on-line citizenry can handle this on their own.