Google Says Your Data Is Safe With It

Google is trying to convince consumers that customers’ private data will be safe with the Internet search giant. On its blog site it has listed some of the concerns that people may have and what Google is doing to address these concerns. The first thing Google wants us to know is its philosophy:

Philosophy: First is our philosophy. At Google, security is a continuous process. We don’t just “check” a product for security before we launch it — we are thinking about security before the product is even created, and we are building it in throughout the product’s development. Also critical is our belief in layered protection.

It’s much like securing your house. You put your most private information in a safe. You secure the safe in your house, which is protected with locks and possibly an alarm system. And then you have the neighborhood watch program or the local police monitoring your neighborhood. It’s very similar at Google. Our most sensitive information is difficult to find or access (the safe). Our network and facilities (the house) are protected in both high- and low-tech ways: encryption, alarms, and other technology for our systems, and strong physical security at our facilities.

And finally, we’ve learned that when security is done right, it’s done best as a community (the neighborhood); we encourage everyone to help us identify potential problems and solutions. Researchers who work at security and technology companies all over the world are constantly looking for security problems on the Internet, and we work closely with that community to find and fix potential problems.

Google goes on to address other issues in its statement such as technology, process, and people. But the one thing that all of us must consider is, how concerned are you with Google having your stuff on its servers? Especially when it comes to health data. Would you feel secure or not?

Comments welcome.

Google blog and additional information is here.