Google Public Policy Blog

Transparency, choice and control - now complete with a Dashboard!

2009-11-05T09:50:00.004-05:00

Posted by Alma Whitten, Software Engineer, Yariv Adan, Product Manager, and Marissa Mayer, VP of Search Products and User Experience

(Cross-posted from the Official Google Blog.)

Today, we are excited to announce the launch of Google Dashboard. Have you ever wondered what data is stored with your Google Account? The Google Dashboard offers a simple view into the data associated with your account — easily and concisely in one location.

Over the past 11 years, Google has focused on building innovative products for our users. Today, with hundreds of millions of people using those products around the world, we are very aware of the trust that you have placed in us, and our responsibility to protect your privacy and data. In the past, we've taken numerous steps in this area, investing in educating our users with our Privacy Center, making it easier to move data in and out of Google with our Data Liberation Front, and allowing you to control the ads you see with interest-based advertising. Transparency, choice and control have become a key part of Google's philosophy, and today, we're happy to announce that we're doing even more.

In an effort to provide you with greater transparency and control over their own data, we've built the Google Dashboard. Designed to be simple and useful, the Dashboard summarizes data for each product that you use (when signed in to your account) and provides you direct links to control your personal settings. Today, the Dashboard covers more than 20 products and services, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Web History, Orkut, YouTube, Picasa, Talk, Reader, Alerts, Latitude and many more. The scale and level of detail of the Dashboard is unprecedented, and we're delighted to be the first Internet company to offer this — and we hope it will become the standard. Watch this quick video to learn more and then try it out for yourself at www.google.com/dashboard.

Next steps in cyber security awareness

2009-11-02T15:39:00.001-05:00

Posted by Eric Davis, Head of Anti-Malvertising

Last week I joined several industry experts to speak at a cyber security panel on Capitol Hill organized by Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and sponsored by the Committee on Homeland Security. The conversation focused on things everyday Internet users can do to help protect their computers and stay safe online. Given that we just wrapped up our observation of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, I thought I'd share some of the key recommendations from the panel:

What are the most important things we all need to do to protect our computers and mobile devices?
You should have the same expectations when using the Internet as you would when exploring a city: you don't give your credit card to the person selling watches on the street just because you recognize the brand, you don't let your kids wander around by themselves and you don't give personal information unless you know who's getting it. If an offer is "urgent" or seems too good to be true, take a step back and research the offer. Add a password to your mobile phone, and browse cautiously on open WiFi networks as you would when using a computer.

What are the most common misconceptions about cyber security?
Many dangerous websites are not designed to be dangerous. In fact, most of the sites that serve malware (malicious software) are innocent sites that have been compromised in one way or another. Your computer isn't necessarily safe just because you're avoiding sites that contain adult content or pirated software. Use reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, and keep your computer operating system and applications updated with the latest software versions.

How do I know if my computer or network has been compromised?
First, disconnect it from the Internet. Take note of any slowness, and if you're not sure how to proceed, get someone with technical expertise to check your network logs for high traffic appearing during times when you're not using the computer. When in doubt, contact a computer support expert.

As President Obama recently stated, cyber security is a shared responsibility. At Google, we recognize how important awareness and education are because many online security threats can only be avoided if we work together.

We spent the month of October exploring cyber security and talking about how to use Google products in a more secure manner. If you haven't seen them already, take a look at the posts we've released over the last month:

Be sure to share the tips you find most helpful with others, and remember to stay safe online.

Bridging the digital literacy gap

2009-11-02T11:03:00.001-05:00

Posted by Dorothy Chou, Policy Analyst

It's important that parents and educators help kids to develop healthy, safe, and responsible online habits. But this can be a challenge, even for the tech-savviest families.

That's why we're launching a tour with iKeepSafe to help parents and educators across the country become more involved in kids' online activities. To kick-off the tour, we're sponsoring a panel discussion on Capitol Hill to address some of the key issues around digital media literacy, including how to talk to kids about maintaining their online reputations.

Over the past year, we've been working with the PointSmart.ClickSafe. Task Force to help policy leaders get up to speed on many online safety topics. This initiative is a direct outcome of the recommendations the group released in July.

"Playing and Staying Safe Online"
An expert panel discussion on how to help kids become responsible members of the digital community.

Panelists:

Dr. Michael Rich, Director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health
Dr. Harry Bloom, Director, California Technology Assistance Project
Lt. Joe Laramie, Director, Missouri ICAC Task Force
Darlene Faster, COO, Center for Social and Emotional Education

Moderator:

Marsali Hancock, iKeepSafe President

With special presentations from Google and WoogiWorld.

When: Tuesday, November 3, Noon - 1:30pm
Where: Room B-354, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

Lunch will be served.

Please click here to RSVP.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow on Capitol Hill. Stay tuned for more announcements about when we'll be coming to your local community -- and in the meantime, check out our new instructional videos to about how to help your family stay safe on the Web:

A price on carbon -- necessary but not sufficient

2009-10-29T18:05:00.001-04:00

Posted by Dan Reicher, Director of Climate Change & Energy Initiatives

The need to address the climate crisis provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our energy system with vast economic, security, and environmental benefits. By putting significant limits on carbon emissions –- and adopting strong complementary energy policies -- we can create millions of new U.S. jobs, reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign energy, and protect ourselves from a global climate crisis. Yesterday I testified on just this subject before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Google published a scenario last year called Clean Energy 2030, which outlines one potential path to a clean energy future. The Clean Energy 2030 proposal would reduce U.S. CO2 emissions about 50% below the baseline projection, while creating 9 million new jobs and net savings of $800 billion.

The ability of the U.S. to seize this historic economic opportunity will be influenced, to a large extent, by actions taken by government to put a significant price on carbon emissions. But a significant price on carbon, while absolutely necessary, is not sufficient to address the climate problem and will not put the U.S. in the position to seize the extraordinary opportunities that will come with rebuilding the global energy economy.

There are four complementary energy policy mechanisms that will be critical to taking advantage of these opportunities:

First, we must significantly increase public funding of research and development of advanced energy technologies. In 1980 ten percent of the total government R&D investment was in energy. Today, it is only two percent.
Second, we must increase the capital available to deploy these advanced technologies at commercial scale.
Third, we must build a smarter and bigger electric grid to better harness energy efficiency and renewable energy. A smarter grid will let us see and understand our energy use, measure it, price it and manage it -- to get the most out of every watt. And a bigger grid will allow us to tap our nation's vast clean energy resources and deliver them where needed.
Fourth, we must set national standards to accelerate the uptake of cleaner and more efficient technologies.

Check out video of my opening testimony below, or read it here. You can also view an archived webcast of the full hearing on the Committee's website.

Our response to the FCC on Google Voice

2009-10-28T17:43:00.003-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

In our response today to the FCC's inquiry about Google Voice, we announced that our engineers have developed a tailored solution for restricting calls to specific numbers engaged in what some have called high-cost "traffic pumping" schemes, like adult chat and "free" conference call lines.

We went to work on this fix because earlier this year, we noticed an extremely high number of calls were being made to an extremely small number of destinations. In fact, the top 10 telephone prefixes -- the area code plus the first three digits of a seven digit number, e.g., 555-555-XXXX -- generated more than 160 times the expected traffic volumes, and accounted for a whopping 26 percent of our monthly connection costs.

To prevent these schemes from exploiting the free nature of Google Voice -- making it harder for us to offer this new service to users -- we began restricting calls to certain telephone number prefixes. But over the past few weeks, we've been looking at ways to do this on a more granular level. We told the FCC today that Google Voice now restricts calls to fewer than 100 specific phone numbers, all of which we have good reason to believe are engaged in traffic pumping schemes.

While we've developed a fix to address this problem, the bottom line is that we still believe the Commission needs to repair our nation's broken carrier compensation system. The current system simply does not serve consumers well and these types of schemes point up the pressing need for reform.

Smart grid stimulus is big win for consumers

2009-10-27T20:53:00.001-04:00

Posted by Michael Terrell, Energy Policy Counsel

President Obama today announced $3.4 billion in federal stimulus funding to build a "smarter" electricity grid. The funds are the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, according to the Department of Energy, and are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs.

We're excited because the vast majority of the projects will benefit consumers directly by giving them tools and information to save energy and cut utility bills. For example, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District will receive $127 million to install 600,000 smart meters and 50,000 programmable thermostats and home energy management systems. Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company will receive $130 million to provide 771,000 meters to 100% of its customers. These technologies will enable consumers to receive direct feedback on their energy use, which can lead to energy savings of up to 15% on average. Altogether the awards will fund the installation of 18 million smart meters, 1 million in-home energy displays and 170,000 smart thermostats.

With the advent of smart meters and other information technologies, we have the opportunity to rebuild the electricity grid, which still uses century-old technology in places. Most importantly, we can make the grid work better for consumers. Today's announcement is an ambitious step toward that goal.

Energy Secretary Chu visits Googleplex

2009-10-27T12:03:00.003-04:00

Posted by Michael Terrell, Energy Policy Counsel

(Cross-posted from the Official Google Blog.)

Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu joined us at the Google campus yesterday to talk about how the U.S. can build a prosperous economy powered by clean energy.

During a fireside chat with Googlers and our CEO Eric Schmidt, Secretary Chu talked about what it will take to create a clean energy revolution. When it comes to clean tech investments, he said, the Department of Energy is trying to "hit home runs, not base hits." He noted that there are many proposed solutions to climate change out there, and we need to pursue all of them. "The scale of what we need to do is enormous," said Secretary Chu, and "putting the world on a carbon diet" and dramatically bringing down the cost of clean energy and should be top priorities. If we succeed, it will "drive a new industrial revolution."

Secretary Chu also heard from Googlers about some of our own clean energy projects including Google PowerMeter, which gives consumers access to their energy use information, developing renewable energy that is cheaper than coal (REdatacenters the most energy efficient in the world. "More companies need to get on board and make this part of their business plan," said the Secretary.

While in Mountain View, Secretary Chu announced $151 million in funding for 37 breakthrough energy projects in technologies like renewable power, energy efficiency and electric cars. The funding is being made available through the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), a newly-launched organization within the Department of Energy (DOE) created to support high-risk, high-reward research into innovative energy technologies. ARPA-E is modeled on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the agency that funded research that eventually led to the creation of the Internet.

(We'll post the full video of the Secretary's talk soon — check back later to watch!)

Update (10-29): Check out the video below.

Helping Virginians vote

2009-10-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

Posted by Dan Berlin, Public Sector Engineering Manager

(Cross-posted from the Google Public Sector Blog.)

Last year we worked with partners to launch tools that made it easier to find basic voting information like when to register, where to vote, and how to contact your local election office.

We're back at it this year, helping Virginians vote in the upcoming 2009 general election with the Virginia Voting Info Map and gadget, which uses a data feed built by the Virginia State Board of Elections.

If you vote in Virginia, you can enter the home address where you're registered and receive the following information:

Your polling place address and directions to get there
Candidates on your ballot, along with a link to their websites (when available)
Absentee voting information
Your local election office address and phone number

Here's a working version for you to try out:

You can easily add the gadget to your site, as the Bob McDonnell campaign has done.

The Voting Information Project, founded by the Pew Center on the States and Google, works with election officials to organize voting data across the United States, giving voters and developers easier access to useful election information. Stay tuned to learn about ways you can help bring the project to your county or state in preparation for the 2010 elections.

Celebrating free expression 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall

2009-10-23T09:55:00.002-04:00

Posted by Annette Kroeber-Riel, European Policy Counsel

(Cross-posted from the Official YouTube Blog.)

In 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall became a striking symbol for free expression far beyond the borders of Germany. Just 20 years later, Iranian citizens used online tools like YouTube and Twitter to share firsthand accounts of the brutal government crackdown waged against protesters disputing the country's election results. Many Iranians risked their lives to document the violence, despite the government's attempts to expel journalists and stifle any voices of dissent.

The democratizing power of the Internet has enabled individuals to share their stories with a global audience in ways never before possible, and given a voice to those who wouldn't otherwise be heard.

To commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, we're launching a YouTube channel — youtube.com/GoogleFreeExpression — to highlight and celebrate free expression around the world, and we want to hear from you.

This channel is designed to feature your stories and reflections on free expression. Tell us about how you or someone you know has taken a stand for free expression. Perhaps you've protested against something you didn't agree with, taken action when someone else's free speech was being suppressed or been inspired by someone who has stood up for the right to speak out. Make a short video sharing your experience, upload it to YouTube, and add it as a reply to this one:

We'll be featuring the best submissions on the Google Free Expression channel, so be sure to check back in the weeks to come. We look forward to hearing from you.

Time to let the process unfold

2009-10-22T12:55:00.003-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

This morning, the FCC voted unanimously to begin consideration of proposed rules that would protect and promote open broadband pipes to the Internet. Over the next several months, an official rulemaking proceeding will take place, along with public workshops and technical advisory discussions, allowing everyone to provide feedback before the Commission adopts a final set of rules.

There's been a lot of noise out there, but let's review what's at stake: The Internet was built and has thrived as an open platform, where individuals and entrepreneurs -- not network owners -- can connect and interact, choose marketplace winners and losers, and create new services and content on a level playing field. No one seems to disagree with that fundamental proposition. This new proceeding is aimed at opening a national dialogue on how best to protect that unique environment. For our part, we fully support the adoption of "rules of the road" to ensure that the broadband on-ramps to the Net remain open and robust.

This is a critical debate for the future of the Internet, and no doubt there are different viewpoints on how to move forward. Some detractors unfortunately have gone so far as to work behind the scenes to try to derail the start of an open and transparent process at the Commission. But as Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam showed in last evening's joint blog post, stakeholders can work together with mutual respect to find common ground, even as we acknowledge and defend important policy differences.

We will be weighing in with our thoughts starting in mid-January. We hope you will do the same.

What's at stake at the FCC this morning

2009-10-22T09:01:00.003-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

This morning, the FCC will propose and ask for public feedback on rules designed to protect and promote open broadband pipes to the Internet. (The Commission will be streaming live video of today's meeting on its website.)

Support for the Commission's effort has been loud and clear. This week alone, visionaries who built and developed the Internet, the CEOs and founders of the world's leading Internet and technology companies, investors, public interest and consumer groups, and tens of thousands of Internet users all announced their support for the Commission's work.

Yesterday, the CEOs of Google and Verizon Wireless outlined their common ground on the issue and threw their support behind a "thoughtful, transparent decision-making process." Unfortunately, some telecom companies have been working behind the scenes to try to prevent the Commission from even considering this issue, an audacious and unprecedented step intended to shut down an independent regulatory agency's discussion before it can even take place.

The fact is, this proceeding will help determine the Internet's future as the world's ultimate platform for innovation, economic growth, and free expression. Now is the time to have a full, open, transparent dialogue between the American people and their policymakers.

Finding common ground on an open Internet

2009-10-21T18:15:00.003-04:00

Posted by Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Google, and Lowell McAdam, President and CEO of Verizon Wireless

(Cross-posted on the Verizon PolicyBlog.)

Verizon and Google might seem unlikely bedfellows in the current debate around network neutrality, or an open Internet. And while it's true we do disagree quite strongly about certain aspects of government policy in this area -- such as whether mobile networks should even be part of the discussion -- there are many issues on which we agree. For starters we both think it's essential that the Internet remains an unrestricted and open platform -- where people can access any content (so long as it's legal), as well as the services and applications of their choice.

There are two key factors driving innovation on the web today. First is the programming language of the Internet, which was designed over forty years ago by engineers who wanted the freedom to communicate from any computer, anywhere in the world. It enables Macs to talk to PCs, Blackberry Storms to iPhones, the newest computers to the oldest hardware on the planet across any kind of network -- cable, DSL, fiber, mobile, WiFi or even dial up.

Second, private investment is dramatically increasing broadband capacity and the intelligence of networks, creating the infrastructure to support ever more sophisticated applications.

As a result, however or wherever you access the Internet the people you want to connect with can receive your message. There is no central authority that can step in and prevent you from talking to someone else, or that imposes rules prescribing what services should be available.

Transformative is an over-used word, especially in the tech sector. But the Internet has genuinely changed the world. Consumers of all stripes can decide which services they want to use and the companies they trust to provide them. In addition, if you're an entrepreneur with a big idea, you can launch your service online and instantly connect to an audience of billions. You don't need advance permission to use the network. At the same time, network providers are free to develop new applications, either on their own or in collaboration with others.

This kind of "innovation without permission" has changed the way we do business forever, fueling unprecedented collaboration, creativity and opportunity. And because America has been at the forefront of most of these changes, we have disproportionately benefited in terms of economic growth and job creation.

So, in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission's national plan to bring broadband to all Americans, we understand its decision to start a debate about how best to protect and promote the openness of the Internet. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has promised a thoughtful, transparent decision-making process, and we look forward to taking part in the analysis and discussion that is to follow. We believe this kind of process can work, because as the two of us have debated these issues we have found a number of basic concepts to agree on.

First, it's obvious that users should continue to have the final say about their web experience, from the networks and software they use, to the hardware they plug in to the Internet and the services they access online. The Internet revolution has been people powered from the very beginning, and should remain so. The minute that anyone, whether from government or the private sector, starts to control how people use the Internet, it is the beginning of the end of the Net as we know it.

Second, advanced and open networks are essential to the future development of the Web. Policies that continue to provide incentives for investment and innovation are a vital part of the debate we are now beginning.

Third, the FCC's existing wireline broadband principles make clear that users are in charge of all aspects of their Internet experience -- from access to apps and content. So we think it makes sense for the Commission to establish that these existing principles are enforceable, and implement them on a case-by-case basis.

Fourth, we're in wild agreement that in this rapidly changing Internet ecosystem, flexibility in government policy is key. Policymakers sometimes fall prey to the temptation to write overly detailed rules, attempting to predict every possible scenario and address every possible concern. This can have unintended consequences.

Fifth, broadband network providers should have the flexibility to manage their networks to deal with issues like traffic congestion, spam, "malware" and denial of service attacks, as well as other threats that may emerge in the future -- so long as they do it reasonably, consistent with their customers' preferences, and don't unreasonably discriminate in ways that either harm users or are anti-competitive. They should also be free to offer managed network services, such as IP television.

Finally, transparency is a must. Chairman Genachowski has proposed adding this principle to the FCC's guidelines, and we both support this step. All providers of broadband access, services and applications should provide their customers with clear information about their offerings.

Doubtless, there will be disagreements along the way. While Verizon supports openness across its networks, it believes that there is no evidence of a problem today -- especially for wireless -- and no basis for new rules and that regulation in the US could have a detrimental effect globally. While Google supports light touch regulation, it believes that safeguards are needed to combat the incentives for carriers to pick winners and losers online.

Both of our businesses rely on each other. So we believe it's appropriate to discuss how we ensure that consumers can get the information, products, and services they want online, encourage investment in advanced networks and ensure the openness of the web around the world. We're ready to engage in this important policy discussion.

Vint Cerf on the importance of keeping the Internet open

2009-10-21T11:00:00.002-04:00

Posted by Mistique Cano, Manager, Public Policy Communications

Earlier this week, Vint Cerf, one of the original architects of the Internet and our Chief Internet Evangelist, joined other pioneers in a letter to the FCC expressing support for the Commission's consideration of safeguards that would preserve the open Internet.

Vint spoke with Cecilia Kang at the Washington Post about the letter and why an open Internet is needed to ensure innovation and growth on the Web:

"The issue is nondiscrimination against applications and against consumer choice. That should be clear by the letter from my colleagues, and by others, that the fundamental concern is that the provider of broadband service not be able to take advantage of that to act in an anticompetitive fashion against others that are trying to provide competitive applications using the same broadband facilities."

Check out the rest of his conversation with Cecilia on her new blog, Post Tech.

Powerful IT for disaster relief

2009-10-20T16:03:00.012-04:00

Posted by Jen Mazzon, Maps Community Organizer

When disaster strikes in the form of a hurricane, earthquake, famine or flood, information technology can play a crucial role in coordinating a local or global response. Earlier this month, Google hosted over 20 international humanitarian organizations in our Washington, D.C. office for a day of workshops to raise awareness and share experiences about how Google's geographic and data visualization technologies, such as Google Map Maker and the Google Data Visualization API, can aid relief efforts.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate kicked off the day's discussions with a talk about how agencies can leverage citizen-generated data and imagery to better coordinate response efforts, such as video from people using handheld cameras in the midst of a hurricane. He also cited Google Flu Trends as an example of how to glean public health insights from the wisdom of crowds.

After Craig spoke, the American Red Cross, World Bank and Plan International gave presentations on their own experiences using geographic and data visualization technologies in the field. American Red Cross, for example, is using Google Maps to display open shelters (left) and building damage assessments (right) on the map:

Several Google team members then led discussions and presentations on the myriad Google tools at the disposal of relief agencies: Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Map Maker and the Map Maker Data Download program for Africa, Google Labs Fusion Tables, the Google Data Visualization API and more. See, for example, how UNOSAT used Google Map Maker to aid flood relief efforts in West Africa by clearly mapping transport networks (for more examples of Map Maker in action, see here).

Below are a few photos from the event. Our next workshop, hosted in partnership with the United Nations in New York, will be held in November. If you're interested in more details, give us a shout on Twitter (we're @googlepubpolicy).

Tech CEOs and founders: Keep the Internet open!

2009-10-19T09:36:00.002-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

This morning, in an open letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, 24 CEOs and founders representing the world's leading Internet and technology companies -- including Facebook, Sony, Amazon, eBay, Twitter, and Google -- threw their support behind the effort to protect an open Internet.

In the letter, the execs express their strong support for the Chairman's plan to begin a process to consider adopting rules that would preserve and promote consumers' open and robust access to the Internet, explaining:

An open Internet fuels a competitive and efficient marketplace, where consumers make the ultimate choices about which products succeed and which fail. This allows businesses of all sizes, from the smallest startup to larger corporations, to compete, yielding maximum economic growth and opportunity.

These companies have succeeded largely thanks to the open Internet, the world's ultimate platform for innovation, economic growth, and free expression -- an environment where consumers, not broadband providers, choose winners and losers.

Coming to an online ad near you: more "Ads By Google" labels

2009-10-15T11:56:00.004-04:00

Posted by Pablo Chavez, Managing Policy Counsel

We've long labeled most of the ads we serve on the Google Content Network (our AdSense partner websites) with an "Ads by Google" attribution. We do this because we want consumers to have an awareness and understanding of the ads they see online.

Now we're extending this notice to even more ads. Today we are starting to roll out the "Ads by Google" message on rich media ads in a way that is unobtrusive to the advertisement itself, but still gives users clear notice if they want to learn more about online advertising at the moment they're looking at the ad. As more and more advertisers use rich media ad formats, and publishers increasingly support them on their sites, we want to provide the same benefit of clear notice to users -- regardless of the ad format. This new notice shows up as a small "i" (for "information") icon overlay in the bottom right-hand corner of the ad, and expands if the user hovers over it. Just like before, users who click on the "Ads by Google" label will be taken to a page where they can learn more about our advertising practices.

With one click on the label, users can get more information about how we serve ads and the information we use to show ads. As the Federal Trade Commission recommended when it released its principles for online advertising in February, consumers deserve greater notice about advertising practices beyond traditional privacy policies. We couldn't agree more. We're following the approach described in the guidelines recently published by a group of trade associations including the Interactive Advertising Bureau, the American Association of Advertising Agencies, and the Association of National Advertisers. Google is continuing to work with the broader industry towards consistent transparency, choice, and education, and we hope that our new label will help this work.

Using Toolbar data to improve your browsing experience

2009-10-13T21:11:00.001-04:00

Posted by Aseem Sood, Product Manager

This post is the latest in an ongoing series about how we harness the data we collect to improve our products and services for our users. In previous posts, we've told you about how data is used for webspam detection, improving search quality in foreign languages, and the advancement of search. We've also discussed using data to make our products safe and to prevent fraud. - Ed.

For the past few years, Google Toolbar has included an opt-in feature that allows you to find out the PageRank value of any webpage by sending its URL to Google. In the latest release of Google Toolbar, we put the PageRank feature into a new category of features within Google Toolbar called enhanced features. We wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with some more details about how Google uses this information sent back to us when you enable these enhanced features.

To put it simply, we aggregate the URLs visited by our users who opt-in to enhanced features and analyze the resulting data to help us improve our products. In that sense, it is similar to our other opt-in mechanisms, like crash reporting in Google Chrome or help center surveys that allow users to provide valuable feedback to us.

One great example of how this data helps improve our products can be seen in our malware detection efforts. By getting a better sense of the most visited sites on the web, we're able to focus Google's automated malware scanners on the most popular URLs that users are currently visiting. This data is then used to power Google's SafeBrowsing feature which provides alerts to users searching on Google or who are browsing the web using Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome, that the site they want to visit may harm their computer. In the never-ending battle against malware, your opt-in data from Google Toolbar makes a big difference.

Another example of the usefulness of this data is around measuring page load times. Speed has always been key to our success (it's one of the 10 things we've found to be true). One way we measure this is by using the Google Toolbar as a page load timer. For example, when your browser sends out a request to fetch Google Maps, we start the timer. When the page is finished loading, we stop the timer and send the elapsed time back to Google along with the Google Maps URL request. By aggregating these response times across many users, we can accurately measure the load time of most websites as well as make our sites faster.

We are constantly working to improve your Google experience by making our products faster, safer and easier to use, and the insights and information gleaned from opt-in data from Toolbar's enhanced features are a key part of this effort. We want to thank those of you who have opted in to send us this data. Every little bit helps make our services better for everyone.

Sex, conference calls, and outdated FCC rules

2009-10-09T15:20:00.004-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

Last month AT&T complained to the FCC about our policy of restricting outbound Google Voice calls to phone numbers in a small number of "rural" areas, just as other Internet applications do.

The reason we restrict calls to certain local phone carriers' numbers is simple. Not only do they charge exorbitant termination rates for calls, but they also partner with adult sex chat lines and "free" conference calling centers to drive high volumes of traffic. This practice has been called "access stimulation" or "traffic pumping" (clearly by someone with a sense of humor). Google Voice is a free application and we want to keep it that way for all our users -- which we could not afford to do if we paid these ludicrously high charges.

Today the FCC responded to AT&T's complaint by asking us for more information about Google Voice. Google Voice is a free web application, one intended to supplement and enhance existing phone lines, not replace them. The goal of Google Voice is to provide a useful, unified communications tool (including for, among others, soldiers and the homeless). Some have observed that Google Voice is "something a real phone company should have offered years ago."

Some have pointed out that AT&T's complaints are hypocritical given that in the past they have asked the FCC for permission to block calls to these rural areas as well. Why? For exactly the same reasons we restrict them -- the exorbitant termination rates. Of course, AT&T charges customers for their services and also receives hundreds of millions of dollars in universal service subsidies.

AT&T apparently now wants web applications -- from Skype to Google Voice -- to be treated the same way as traditional phone services. Their approach is what a former FCC chairman has called "regulatory capitalism," the practice of using regulation to block or slow down innovation. And despite AT&T's lobbying efforts, this issue has nothing to do with network neutrality or rural America. This is about outdated carrier compensation rules that are fundamentally broken and in need of repair by the FCC.

Sergey's op-ed in the New York Times

2009-10-09T11:33:00.004-04:00

Posted by Mistique Cano, Manager, Public Policy Communications

In today’s New York Times, Google co-founder Sergey Brin discusses our efforts – through Google Books – to help people anywhere, anytime discover great works of history or rediscover history lost, like the electric car.

We think it’s an interesting read, we hope you check it out.

Yes, you can export data from AdWords, too

2009-10-08T14:06:00.001-04:00

Posted by Brian "Fitz" Fitzpatrick, Data Liberation engineering manager

As we've previously discussed on this blog, our goal is to "liberate" data so that consumers and businesses using Google products always have a choice when it comes to the technology they use.

Our data liberation efforts also apply to our hundreds of thousands of advertisers. We're committed to enabling our advertisers to easily export data from Google in a machine readable, standardized format. Recently, some have claimed that we somehow stop advertisers from getting their AdWords campaign data out of Google.

That's incorrect.

Advertisers can export data from AdWords into CSV files and reformat and utilize that data as they see fit in a matter of minutes, which includes importing it into other search engines. Indeed, many advertisers recommend the use of Google's AdWords Editor to manage campaigns for other systems -- here's a video to show how it's done:

If you encounter any issues with import or export from Google products, please don't hesitate to let us know. You can reach the Data Liberation team on Twitter at @dataliberation.

Open government and the Federal Register

2009-10-05T17:58:00.003-04:00

Posted by Betsy Masiello, Policy Analyst

For more than 70 years, the Federal Register has been the official daily record for federal agency rules and notices, executive orders, and other presidential documents. But at 80,000 pages per year, it lands on your desk with a thud.

That's one reason why we're excited to see that the U.S. government is taking steps to make the Federal Register more open and accessible to citizens. Starting today, the Federal Register will be published in XML format to Data.gov, which will allow third-parties to develop new ways to organize, re-organize, and analyze its contents. Past issues of the Federal Register dating back to 2000 will also be posted online.

We're already seeing cool new tools emerge around this data. This morning Ed Felten of Princeton's Center for Information Technology Policy announced the launch of Fedthread.org, which allows users to annotate and search the Federal Register. The tool also allows users to set up customized RSS feeds for specific search queries, which will allow users to track items and issues over time. Amazingly, the project took only 10 days to create.

The Washington Post describes the Federal Register as the "de facto daily newspaper of the executive branch." Making the Federal Register available on Data.gov is an important step towards making that newspaper more accessible to citizens across the country.

Celebrating National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2009

2009-10-01T15:23:00.002-04:00

Posted by Eric Davis, Head of Anti-Malvertising

(Cross-posted from the Official Google Blog.)

Internet security and online safety are topics that leave many people scratching their heads. While many companies and organizations work to make the Internet a safer place, it can be difficult to know what to do as an Internet user beyond creating numerous passwords for your various online accounts and steering clear of that email from a "long lost relative" who wants you to immediately wire thousands of dollars to him. Here's the good news: even though security can become quite technical and complicated, there are simple steps you can take that can make a big difference in helping to keep your information safe.

This month, Google joins the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), governmental agencies, corporations, schools and non-profit organizations in recognizing National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Throughout October, we'll be raising awareness of important Internet security and safety issues that will teach you how to be an informed web user. Keep an eye on our various product blogs, as we'll be sharing tips that are tailored to users of Google products and services. To kick off the series, visit our newly created Google Cyber Security Awareness Channel on YouTube to watch a variety of online safety videos created by individuals and groups with an interest in cyber security.

The web is a great platform for all kinds of things — finding information, interacting with others and even running your business. Practicing good cyber security habits can help keep it that way. Join us this month by brushing up on your cyber security awareness and sharing the tips you like with others.

Response to AT&T's letter to FCC on Google Voice

2009-09-25T16:13:00.002-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

This afternoon AT&T filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission, alleging that Google Voice is preventing its users from making outbound calls to certain phone numbers with inflated access charges, and asking the Commission to intervene.

Here's the quick background: Local telephone carriers charge long-distance companies for originating and terminating calls to and from their networks. Certain local carriers in rural areas charge AT&T and other long-distance companies especially high rates to connect calls to their networks. Sometimes these local carriers partner and share revenue with adult chat services, conference calling centers, party lines, and others that are able to attract lots of incoming phone calls to their networks.

Under the common carrier laws, AT&T and other traditional phone companies are required to connect these calls. In the past they've argued that these rural carriers are abusing the system to "establish grossly excessive access charges under false pretenses," and to "offer kickbacks to operators of pornographic chat lines and other calling services." (This is a complicated issue, but these articles from USA Today and the Associated Press explain it well.)

We agree with AT&T that the current carrier compensation system is badly flawed, and that the single best answer is for the FCC to take the necessary steps to fix it.

So how does any of this relate to Google Voice?

Google Voice's goal is to provide consumers with free or low-cost access to as many advanced communications features as possible. In order to do this, Google Voice does restrict certain outbound calls from our Web platform to these high-priced destinations. But despite AT&T's efforts to blur the distinctions between Google Voice and traditional phone service, there are many significant differences:

Unlike traditional carriers, Google Voice is a free, Web-based software application, and so not subject to common carrier laws.
Google Voice is not intended to be a replacement for traditional phone service -- in fact, you need an existing land or wireless line in order to use it. Importantly, users are still able to make outbound calls on any other phone device.
Google Voice is currently invitation-only, serving a limited number of users.

AT&T is trying to make this about Google's support for an open Internet, but the comparison just doesn't fly. The FCC's open Internet principles apply only to the behavior of broadband carriers -- not the creators of Web-based software applications. Even though the FCC does not have jurisdiction over how software applications function, AT&T apparently wants to use the regulatory process to undermine Web-based competition and innovation.

* Note: This blog post was updated at 4:55 PM ET to clarify the FCC's open Internet principles.

Eric Schmidt talks tech and the economy at the G-20 summit

2009-09-23T12:57:00.002-04:00

Posted by Bob Boorstin, Director, Public Policy

On the eve of the G-20 summit, where world leaders are gathering in an environment of economic uncertainty, Google CEO Eric Schmidt was in Pittsburgh to talk about what futurist Alvin Toffler described as "that great, growling engine of change -- technology" and its impact on economic growth.

We'll be posting video of Eric's speech shortly, but here are some of the key observations he shared at a speech before the Pittsburgh Technology Council and other Pittsburghers:

History has shown us that cutting-edge technology and the free, open flow of information are key drivers of economic growth. Call it "Gutenberg's Law": there's a clear correlation between the amount of information available to the average citizen and the economic growth and progress of that citizen's country. From the printing press to the telegraph to the Internet, each has enabled more exchange of ideas and sharing of information, resulting in a corresponding boost to economic progress.

Today, we are only at the very cusp of the technological revolution that the rise of the Internet will bring. Technology is changing almost everything about how we live, work, and play. Networks are getting ever-faster, data is being generated at an exponential rate, and devices are becoming faster and more powerful, able to store and do more even as they shrink. That means changes in the way we connect and communicate; changes in how we generate, find, and use information; and changes in how we interact with business and government.

Technology has driven down barriers to entry in terms of knowledge, scale, cost, and geography, leading to increased competition on a global scale. Today's entrepreneurs can leverage the Internet and technology in a way that only the largest multinational could afford 10 or 15 years ago. Size is no barrier to competition. This trend isn't unique to the West -- it's visible all around the world, especially when it comes to clever business applications for mobile.

What does it all mean? The G-20 should look across the globe -- from Pittsburgh to Nairobi -- and recognize how technology and innovation can help us pull this economy up out of the morass, embrace the disruption, and try to build and sustain long-term economic growth.

Stay tuned for video of Eric's speech.

EDIT (9/24/09): Check out video of the speech below.

Celebrating OneWebDay

2009-09-22T09:56:00.002-04:00

Posted by Richard Whitt, Washington Telecom and Media Counsel

As we turn the page from summer to fall, it seems appropriate to pause for just one day to celebrate the unique awesomeness of the Web.

OneWebDay -- September 22nd -- was first held three years ago to commemorate and support the World Wide Web as a resource that is revolutionizing communications, connecting billions of people across the globe, and empowering users in unprecedented ways. I was fortunate enough back in 2005 to be part of the small group of folks, including Susan Crawford, David Weinberger, and David Isenberg, who first talked about putting together an international day of celebration for the Net.

So how exactly does one celebrate OneWebDay? Like the Web itself, OneWebDay is run from the bottom-up, so the choice is entirely yours. You can donate a computer. Learn more about Internet policy issues. Edit a Wikipedia article. Blog, tweet, and submit YouTube videos about why you love the Web (make sure to use the #OWD09 hashtag). Change your facebook or twitter pic. Or, if you're into politics (and especially if you're not), contact the Federal Communications Commission or your congressional representative to propose your favorite project to enable bigger, better broadband access to the Net. Mine currently happens to be enabling fiber to the library. The point is: it's up to you.

There are also scheduled meet-ups and events in cities across the country and around the world. Here in Washington, D.C., for example, users are invited to join me and many others to participate in a live discussion on the future of the Internet on Capitol Hill.

Yesterday, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission outlined his plan to protect open and robust access to the Internet. Whatever your own views on how best to preserve and promote its unique openness and freedom, there's no denying that the World Wide Web has changed our world for the better. It's well worth taking one day a year to celebrate that fact.