If you are a current customer, feel free to take advantage of our online support system available 24/7 to view, manage and submit support tickets.
Support SystemAre you ready to talk to one of our specialists to discuss next steps for growing your business. Schedule an appointment below.
Request MeetingMany of you have probably noticed a notification regarding Google's privacy policy change. Google has been advertising and encouraging users to read their upcoming policy by displaying a notification on Google Search, as well as other Google apps.
The change, which went into effect on March 1st, has sparked quite a bit of discussion concerning users' information that Google collects and shares.
Please watch Google's video below which was released to explain why and how they made the change:
When a company as significant and impacting as Google mentions changing their policies, skepticism is often the immediate reaction. We should have every right to worry, since it is our information that they are collecting after all. However, we should also consider that Google has been using our information for years to create relevant search results and a customized user experience. Without their ingenuity and resilience to initial criticism, we would not have many of the products that we enjoy today.
Google claims that making one privacy policy that applies to all Google applications will make it easier to understand and read the policies across platforms. On the other hand, I do think it is imperative to be aware of the changes and the impact they may have.
The largest impact will be a result of Google delving further into customizing your experience by sharing your information between applications. Google will attempt to associate your actions across its products into one user profile. For instance, you watch certain types of videos on YouTube. Now, when Google makes suggestions when you are typing in Google Search, it will pull from the videos you watched on YouTube to hopefully make a more accurate suggestion. While this can seem a bit creepy, it also does personalize your experience over time
Likewise, Google's sharing of information will also "improve" the relevance of sponsored advertisements. You do have a limited amount of say with regards to ads in your the "ad preferences" section of your profile. Also, Google will allow you to correct/update your personal information as well, and you will be required to verify your identity.
The following are a few suggestions to make yourself more aware about what information Google can collect and what they will do with it:
Ben has possessed a passion for technology since a very young age. He was always enamored with the newest gadget and software packages. At age 11, Ben began learning about website design and constructed his own website. By age 13, he had designed and published his first website for a corporate client. As Ben grew both in skill and experience, he found a recurring theme that small businesses' needs were not being met with affordable technology and marketing solutions.
In response to that opportunity, Ben founded Igniting Business LLC to meet his clients' growing needs. Igniting Business, with offices in Columbia, MO and Lee's Summit, MO, is dedicated to helping businesses become more effective and efficient by implementing cost-saving and revenue generating tech and marketing systems. Igniting Business was created to provide affordable Web Design, IT Services, and Marketing to the small business market. Ben has built both his career and his company around helping small businesses succeed.