All Paid Google One Subscribers Now Get VPN Access

[btbeme]

People hate on Google so much it's kind of funny. People know Google makes most of its money from data and ads already.
Let's forget all the work they did creating PageRank, Gmail in 2004 everybody begging for an invite, Google Maps (original Maps on iPhone for a while), YouTube acquisition and growth, I'm sure NOBODY uses YouTube, buying DoubleClick (which is why most people hate Google and their ad business), Chrome Browser.
Yes Android isn't as great as iOS, yes they create and destroy tons of products, Google Reeder, Google+ etc etc. They aren't some perfect amazing company.

Google Search helped the internet explode in use and popularity. No hate and punching on Google will ever change that.
Also Privacy and Internet in the same sentence are hilarious. It's okay, just put it all on Google

Every. Single. Thing. you list here is, in fact, used to gather, profile, disseminate, and sell user data en masse. Several of the things listed here were, in fact, specifically designed for such a mission. Google, from the date of its inception, has created and targeted that information exchange, all the while being smacked by legal entities around the world for their intrusive behavior, and all the while completely ignoring the penalties and orders to stop doing so in many ways.

No amount of shiny new things can distract from the absolute truth that Google's mission is, in fact, data control. How intrusive they are in your life depends on your level of tolerance (or ignorance) to how you hand over your data to them via casual use of their search engine or by allowing full data snooping via Chrome or Gmail.

As for Android... My youngest special-needs daughter will receive an Android phone for her birthday this month. Why Android? Because the parental software that can be installed on it has the ability to snoop almost every tap, type, and scroll on that device so we can help manage her usage and keep her safe. Android is sooo open to mining like that it makes it the best tool for a concerned parent. Apple's iOS is sooo tightly locked down that parenting software simply cannot snoop at a level that is as useful as the Android. Oh, the irony. If a parent can snoop that data, what is Google doing with your Android?

 

[MallardDuck]

Yes, that's just what I want. Google to be able to see, monitor, exploit, and monetize even more of my internet activity.

 

[MallardDuck]

Every. Single. Thing. you list here is, in fact, used to gather, profile, disseminate, and sell user data en masse. Several of the things listed here were, in fact, specifically designed for such a mission. Google, from the date of its inception, has created and targeted that information exchange, all the while being smacked by legal entities around the world for their intrusive behavior, and all the while completely ignoring the penalties and orders to stop doing so in many ways.

No amount of shiny new things can distract from the absolute truth that Google's mission is, in fact, data control. How intrusive they are in your life depends on your level of tolerance (or ignorance) to how you hand over your data to them via casual use of their search engine or by allowing full data snooping via Chrome or Gmail.

Bingo. Anyone who uses it for free isn't a customer, you're the product. Even if you pay for it, you may be a customer, but you're still the product.

 

[ratspg]

Every. Single. Thing. you list here is, in fact, used to gather, profile, disseminate, and sell user data en masse. Several of the things listed here were, in fact, specifically designed for such a mission. Google, from the date of its inception, has created and targeted that information exchange, all the while being smacked by legal entities around the world for their intrusive behavior, and all the while completely ignoring the penalties and orders to stop doing so in many ways.

No amount of shiny new things can distract from the absolute truth that Google's mission is, in fact, data control. How intrusive they are in your life depends on your level of tolerance (or ignorance) to how you hand over your data to them via casual use of their search engine or by allowing full data snooping via Chrome or Gmail.

Data Control on behalf of the US Government. It's a US company. Why do you think Google got destroyed in China? Why is the EU trying so hard to halt all of their Google Analytics, etc. Its purpose is to collect data on the US behalf. Just remember who the data control is for and where the country is headquartered and operated. If you are a US citizen, they do this on your Governments behalf. It's very obvious. People are so focused like their buying habits really matter in the grand scheme of things.

 

[d686546s]

Every. Single. Thing. you list here is, in fact, used to gather, profile, disseminate, and sell user data en masse.

No none is going to deny that Google is a massive data collection and profiling entity, but I have my doubts that they in fact "disseminate, and sell user data en masse."

Google is not a data broker. I don't think you can approach Google and buy data sets of raw data from them because that is their product. They don't sell btbeme's search history or location data to the highest bidder. They certainly have that data and can make it available to law enforcement with a warrant, but why would they want to sell it?

Google wants to profile you, know everything about you, categorise you and predict what kind of things you might like and buy. And then they want to sell the opportunity to show ads to you and people like you.

It's still highly intrusive and I'm not saying this is a good thing I want in my life, but it's not the same thing.

 

[vegetassj4]

Because I trust Google with my data

 

[sw1tcher]

People hate on Google so much it's kind of funny....

Funny? No. The correct words are "sad" and "predictable" while they continue to use Alphabet's services (gmail, youtube, google, maps, chrome, etc).

 

[wowotoe]

How to describe Google's business model to AI...

Positive prompt:
collect user information, track users from head to toe, listen to people's conversation via Nest, display annoying ads to users everywhere

Negative prompt:
[[[user privacy]]]

 

[mudflap]

This is all about ideology and politics. I would no sooner buy a Google VPN than I would one from Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Netflix, Amazon, or even Twitter.

Apple's Private Relay is pretty awesome. Folks laughed when they introduced it, but then tech publications' reviews started rolling in, and they pretty much all said it was smart, effective, safe, and fast. Apple doesn't know what you're doing, the origin doesn't know the destination and the destination doesn't know the origin. Unless I see a third-party verification that Google can't see what you're up to — which is never going to happen because, of course, that's how Google makes money — I don't trust them. I trust Apple with Private Relay, just like I trust them with zero-knowledge iMessages.

 

[jimbobb24]

So google logs everywhere I go but my service provider doesn't know now. They just have to buy the info from google.

 

[Sasparilla]

This will be a nice feature for Google users. Actually may make sense for Google to set it up legit since it’ll lock that user down a bit to only their access (chrome, gmail etc.).

Because I trust Google with my data

View attachment 2170429

Had to log on while on the road to +1 that, such a pic, lol. Do remember an article a while back talking about how the do no evil instances have been gradually taken out of different company docs over the years.

 

[btbeme]

Google wants to profile you, know everything about you, categorise you and predict what kind of things you might like and buy. And then they want to sell the opportunity to show ads to you and people like you.

There isn't a soul on this planet who believes that is the limit of Google's interest or intent.

 

[CalMin]

For all the fun being poked at a Google VPN as being ironic, remember that if you already use their services, it's likely that anything they could learn while you're on VPN they probably already know.

This is mostly about protecting you when connected to public wifi networks, or if you don't trust your ISP.

I already use Google's DNS so they pretty much know everywhere that I go online.

--

Now they say they don't use the VPN to track you here: https://blog.google/products/google-one/common-questions-vpn-google-one/

Can Google see everything I do while I’m connected to the VPN?

To put it simply — no. VPN by Google One is built in a way that helps ensure Google cannot tie your network traffic with your identity, and we take several steps to make sure that’s the case.

First, we use blind signing to provide a stronger guarantee that our servers don’t associate your identity with your VPN connection. Second, we do not log your IP address or network traffic, which is only processed “on the fly.” There's some minimum logging to ensure quality of service, but this never includes your IP address or network traffic. Third, we open source our client libraries, so experts can inspect and independently verify how the system works. Fourth, a third party audited our end to end system and published their reports for anyone to review.

As to whether or not you believe that is up to you. I've given up any notion of online privacy these days. I've picked Google, Microsoft and Apple to trust with my data over any other company. Perhaps that makes me a fool, but I will live with that...

 

[Robert.Walter]

I’ve never trusted all these vpn companies. Been hoping for years Apple would offer a vpn. Private relay is a good start but a step up to vpn would be great.

 

[Analog Kid]

Funny? No. The correct words are "sad" and "predictable" while they continue to use Alphabet's services (gmail, youtube, google, maps, chrome, etc).

Learned helplessness.

In some cases it's because Google is so dominant that there are few practical alternatives. Search for a lot of people (though Bing may have just pierced their armor and some of us are willing to put up with the inferior performance of DDG), but YouTube just has no equal out there that I'm aware of. It is literally the only place I still see video ads in my life, but it's also the only place that has the breadth of content that it does.

In other cases it's just the fact that when you live in a connected world others often make our choices for us. My work forces me through Google services for a lot of things, schools rely on Google services, I can try to not use gmail but if the person I'm sending to does then it's all open book anyway.

What really boils my blood is when I call someone and Google Voice answers. It's already too late at that point, but there's no way to know I'm getting sold out until the happy voice answers.

 

[votdfak]

I love up in arms peoples about their data and how valuable it is. smh.

 

[GumaRodak]

Google VPN means that google gets exclusive rights to your data and can sell it for much more since nobody else will get the data

 

[ELman]

I would be interested in seeing if this is like Nord VPN and others that let you select the country you want to connect.

 

[dylanwho]

"Fox to Guard Henhouse for Small Fee"

 

[MooseChuckle]

Google today announced that its Google VPN feature is expanding to all Google One subscribers, instead of being limited to those who subscribe to the Premium 2TB Google One plan.

VPN by Google One is designed to mask a user's IP address, preventing sites and apps from collecting that information for location tracking and monitoring activity across the web. It also offers protection from hackers and network operators, similar to any other VPN.

With this change, storage space is the primary differentiating factor between Google One plans. The basic plan offers 100GB of storage, while the Premium plan offers 2TB. There's also a free tier with 15GB of storage, but it does not include VPN access.

In addition to expanding VPN access to all Google One members, Google is introducing a new feature that will allow users to monitor for their personal information on the dark web. Google will alert users if data like name, address, email, phone number, or Social Security Number is found.

VPN access is expanding to all Google One members starting today, with the basic Google One plan priced at $1.99 per month. It will be available in 22 countries across Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac devices, and VPN access can be shared with up to five others on the same Google One plan.

Article Link: All Paid Google One Subscribers Now Get VPN Access

Privacy sold separately. 🙃

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I really don't feel like paying $1.99 monthly fee to Google. Anyone feels the same 😒

 

[JuicyGoomba]

As per every other thread involving Google on MR, unless you go to great lengths to protect yourself and others using your connection including dictating that others in your household go full Apple/FOSS, then your traffic will inevitably make a pass through Google/FB at some point if not regularly.

It doesn't matter if I go full Apple, make my own router and hook up a pihole, and VPN the crap out of everything. If my partner uses a Pixel then Google automatically relates everyone from the same IP. If they can't get my IP due to VPN, they'll link based on location. If they can't get my location or I keep airplane mode on, they'll link me to her by cell tower connection.

I commend those that actually manage to preserve their privacy to the point where it's almost leak proof. Regulation is usually a bad thing but I can't help but think that none of us would have these worries if companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft etc were regulated from the start.

 

[sir1963nz]

Google says it can't tie your network traffic to your identity.

The question is obviously whether this is true, but not necessarily more or less than with other companies.

Google promised not to data mine kids who used google for school stuff....and we laughed and laughed....then they got caught.

 

[sir1963nz]

This is all about ideology and politics. I would no sooner buy a Google VPN than I would one from Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Netflix, Amazon, or even Twitter. Or one subsidized by the US Federal government. Or from China, for that matter.

It's getting so I might have to create my own VPN.

I have run my own VPN for years.

 

[Choco Taco]

Brilliant. So all of your internet access on your device can be routed through Google. Amazing. Anyone that uses this lacks grey matter between their ears.