Google Inc. is bringing about some changes to its terms of service and will now use profile names and photos in advertisements.
The search giant now wants your consent so that it can use information like your name, photo and product reviews in ads which the company sells to third parties.
Google, which has the distinction of being the world's biggest search engine, will be adding social features to its ad products. The changes under "shared endorsements" are applicable for search, Google Maps and Google Play store. To illustrate, if you endorse a particular restaurant or give something a high rating then your profile information may show up as part of that advert.
"Feedback from people you know can save you time and improve results for you and your friends across all Google services," the Mountain View, California-based company said in a post.
Google outlined the changes on Friday, October 11, under its terms of service which will come into effect from November 11. However, you can still control what you share and who see the reviews. Moreover, users who are under 18 years are excluded from the service.
"We want to give you - and your friends and connections - the most useful information. Recommendations from people you know can really help. So your friends, family and others may see your Profile name and photo, and content like the reviews you share or the ads you +1'd. This only happens when you take an action (things like +1'ing, commenting or following) - and the only people who see it are the people you've chosen to share that content with," per Google.
Google's move to implement user names and photos for "shared endorsements," as part of its social marketing, seems to be in a bid to throw the gauntlet to rivals Twitter and Facebook and reclaim its market share.
However, with concerns pertaining to privacy growing steadily, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could soon be examining Google's new policy. Per Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, the Google move "reflects the growing and unchecked expansion of online data collection by the industry."
"The FTC needs to closely examine this new change in Google policy," notes Chester in an e-mail to Bloomberg.
With nearly a month to go before Google's policy changes come into effect, it will be interesting to see if the FTC takes any action.
