"We would never trap user data" No, we just use a different definition of "user ...

IanCal · on Dec 5, 2013

I think this is fairly obvious but there's a clear difference between "data belonging to a user" and "data about a user". The first is what they are talking about, because this is how vendor lock-in occurs.

Florin_Andrei · on Dec 5, 2013

Yes, there is a difference, absolutely.

No, the line between the two categories is not clear at all.

IanCal · on Dec 6, 2013

Can you give me an example of an ambiguous case? I can't think of any personally.

JW_00000 · on Dec 6, 2013

Well, the URLs I enter in Chrome for example: is that data belonging to me because I entered it, or is it data about me because they track it?

Or even the connections I have on Google+: is it data belonging to me because I entered it?

IanCal · on Dec 6, 2013

You're not really handing over URLs to google saying "here are some urls, please keep them", are you? Bookmarks, yes, and you can easily export them.

> Or even the connections I have on Google+: is it data belonging to me because I entered it?

Yes. Google takeout lets you download your G+ circles, if that helps.

psbp · on Dec 5, 2013

https://www.google.com/settings/u/0/ads

https://www.google.com/settings/dashboard

andyhmltn · on Dec 6, 2013

That first link is hilarious. I looked at my 'interests' based on my searches and apparently I really enjoy Athletics and Chevrolet. Weird considering I don't like either haha

Kerrick · on Dec 5, 2013

You can download your data from the +1 Buttons at least. https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024195?hl=en#plu...

lalalalalalala · on Dec 5, 2013

You can already get your data for many things

https://www.google.com/settings/dashboard

Individual datasets are not of much group to advertisers