Sure, Check Your Email From My Computer
Google Desktop presents a lot of privacy concerns, as the chatter goes. People are worried about all tha data being available on their system, and the possibility that a malicious hacker or Google itself will misuse the data. Very little has been talked about the ability of a person to use Desktop to spy on co-workers.

Today, we put out a new issue of the paper, as we do every Monday (which is why I rarely post on Mondays). I know exactly what happens during the final stages of production: I run around like a crazy man, trying to make sure things get done, and invariably, my laptop winds up on all sorts of laps. It's just convenient. I think god invented wi-fi just for me, and I like to spread the love. Hot desking is all the rage in our offices, and you never know who'll be using my computer next.

And they all use AOL Instant Messenger to chat.

My computer is going to log everything they say, and everything said to them. Google Desktop doesn't care who's logged in to AIM, it records all conversations. And when they're done, I just have to type in their screen name and see what they said, and what they may have said about me. Can I resist the temptation? Maybe, maybe not. Will I warn my co-workers not to use my machine, since it records them? Probably not. I'm more worried about getting out the next issue than privacy issues. But at some point, I'm going to run a Google vanity search and see at the top, "Results stored on your computer: Desiree: Boy, I hate this Nathan guy..."

Maybe I want to know what they're saying. Maybe I want people who use my machine to say things I wouldn't like to have no privacy. But still, it's very freaky. Combine Google Desktop with the proxy and your boss has a neat little IM conversation log, which many companies already do. Your own computer, innovation, it's all working against you.

- posted by Nathan Weinberg @ 11/01/2004 01:20:00 AM