Google apps are great, I'll admit it! They are innovative, easy to use, and extremely viral. While that's all well and good, nobody thinks about the data that get's entered into these appliations. Especially if you use them exclusively.

Personally, I have a gmail account (but I don't really use it), google voice, adsense and adwords. I've brought this up before, but I'll say it again. By using these applications (including the google search engine itself), Google Inc. has a goldmine of information about users. Depending on which apps you are using, they can obtain:

• SSN or Federal Tax ID (Google Adsense/Adwords)
• Bank Account/Credit Card Info (Google Adsense/Adwords)
• What you are searching for AND when (google search engine)
• Read your e-mail (gmail)

• See who you frequently talk to (Google Voice/Gmail)

• Listen to your voicemails view call activity (Google voice)
• See what websites you subscribe to (RSS feeds with Google Reader)
• See what videos you are watching/posting (Youtube)

Think about which of these applications you frequently use... Everyone alreay uses the search engine. Think about this; if any company in the world could build the best profile on someone for marketing purposes, it would be google. Using the data from their systems, they could put together a profile more detailed than the FBI. Did I mention the fact they could do this in a matter of minutes with a few key strokes or the few clicks of a mouse?

If I personally had access to all the day they have collected using these apps, I could put together a personal profile with the following details:

• Location,Telephone number,Address (Source: credit card billing info, e-mail signatures, IP address)
• Place of employment (Source: possibly mentioned in gmail)
• Credit Rating (Source: while it is illegal to request credit on someones behalf, google would have all the info needed
• Work Schedule (Source: Search engine quries/gmail sent items based on time/volume)
• Shopping Habits (Source: google.com searches, gmail, google adsense clicks, igoogle)
• Identities of close friends co-workers (Source: Gmail contacts, Google voice)
• Hobbies (Source: Most people search and view for hobby related content of youtube)
• Pet's Names or other personal info (Source: Password hint for most apps)
• Investment Habits (Source: Google Finance)
• Travel Desinations (Source: Google Maps)
• Type of computer you own [PC or Mac](Source: browser signature from google.com visit)
• Website List Subscribers (Source: Google Reader, Google Groupds)
• Type of phone you use (google mobile apps)
• View personal photos (Picasa)

These are only basic things I could come up with off the top of my head. Think about what kind of data you can collect by looking at the times of some activities and what sites they frequently visit. By cross-refrencing some of this data, you can probably find whatever it is you want to know about someone.

The point I am trying to make here is this; we have all become used to technology making our lives easier. While we are tempted to take the lazy way out and use some of these apps which make our lives easier, just remember... You are technically trading privacy for convenience. If you think you are protected by priacy laws think again. Most providers of technology services claims your data will not be shared for any reason. What about the employees of the company who have regular access to your data? Also keep in mind that you are agreeing to the terms of service by using Google apps. Most of these have clauses that say the TOS can change any at time. The choice is yours. choose wisely.