Google To Advertise Users’ Endorsements Despite Privacy Concerns: How to Opt Out

Despite privacy concerns, Google is moving forward with a plan to bring Google Plus users' endorsements into its advertising - including displaying their names and profile pictures. Google is calling the ad scheme, "shared endorsements."

Google's announcement is the latest move by a social media network towards more open social media profiles, after Facebook announced that it would no longer allow users to bar their profile name from all searches.

On Friday of last week, Google users got an alert to the new policy in the form of a blue banner across the Google homepage. A link took you to the Google terms of service page, which announced that the TOS was slated to be updated on Nov. 11.

You're The Ad Now

Here's what the new TOS announcement said:

Because many of you are allergic to legalese, here's a plain English summary for your convenience.

We've made three changes:

• First, clarifying how your Profile name and photo might appear in Google products (including in reviews, advertising and other commercial contexts).
  • You can control whether your image and name appear in ads via the Shared Endorsements setting.
• Second, a reminder to use your mobile devices safely.
• Third, details on the importance of keeping your password confidential.

The first change is the most important, of course, and Google went on to pitch the shared endorsements feature to its users. "We want to give you - and your friends and connections - the most useful information," stated the TOS page. "Recommendations from people you know can really help. So your friends, family and others may see your Profile name and photo, and content like the reviews you share or the ads you +1'd."

Google clarified that this only happens when you take action, +1-ing a product or ad on Google, reminding users that "you're in control of what you share."

Already, if you are a Google Plus user that +1's something, your endorsement could have appeared in an ad. But now, according to the Wall Street Journal, Google is expanding the type of profile content that can appear in ads, including your ratings of videos or music on the Google Play store, or restaurant reviews users post.

Opting Out

Google is enabling "shared endorsements" on Google profiles by default, which is controversial in itself - as many users don't keep up on TOS changes. Despite that, you can opt out of the new advertising scheme.

First, sign into your Google Plus account. Then go to this settings page. Uncheck the box next to ""Based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads."

If you have already opted for a tighter privacy setting in regard to ads, your preference should stay the same - though its best to check the settings anyway to make sure. Also, users under the age of 18 will not be included in the "shared endorsement" scheme for obvious legal reasons.

Privacy Concerns

Of course, a lot of users will not opt out, simply because they are not aware of the change - everyone has simply closed an alert prompt before because they're too busy to look at what it says. That's leading internet privacy advocates to worry about the consequences of the new "shared endorsements" move, according to the Washington Post.

Professor of Internet law at Santa Clara University Eric Goldman told the WP that users who +1 a product without understanding that their profiles can be used for shared endorsements "may be exposed to unwanted, and possibly misunderstood, implications."

Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, told the Wall Street Journal that Google might run into legal problems with shared endorsements. "We think it's a problem. It's a commercial endorsement without consent and that is not permissible in most states in the U.S."

Still, there is the ability to opt out of the shared endorsement scheme, which Facebook does not even allow its users. Facebook's similar "sponsored stories" social recommendation program turns "liked" products into advertising on friends' Facebook pages.