Google is looking into new ways to protect the privacy of its huge number of users, says their chief legal officer. These include “crumbled cookies,” which spread a user’s information out so that it’s not connected to a single piece of code, and providing better information on the source of each ad that’s served.

Google is defending itself this week in Washington for setting its sights on DoubleClick, the online “advertising tools supplier” worth $3.1 billion. Critics and competitors charge that Google is gaining too much power over the online advertising space, which is at least part of the reason behind the announcement.

In Canada, Google is considering blurring faces and license plates in its “Street View” images to comply with privacy laws there.

“Google looking at privacy protections for users” [Reuters]
(Photo: Extra Ketchup)

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