Privacy Theatre

Google’s New Privacy Features Put the Responsibility on Users | WIRED

But as Google increases the number of privacy features—part of an attempt to scrub its reputation clean of data-tracking dirt—the setup of the settings, toggles, and dashboards within its apps seems to put more responsibility on the individual user rather than the platform. As Pichai himself said, Google aims to give people “choices.” So it’s your choice if you want to take the time to adjust, monitor, take out, or toggle something off. Just like it’s Google’s choice to not change its fundamental approach to gathering data to help better target advertising and thus make heaps of money.

I think we need a new term for this sort of thing: ‘privacy theatre’. Much like ‘security theatre’, it has very little, if anything, to do with what it’s pretending to do. Not a new thing, either. And of course, applicable to Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, the telcos and cable companies, and all the other data-scoopers out there.