Recently, it's been quite popular to slag off google (they deserve it). I know they gather a lot of information about us. Being in conversation with some friends I could not give any specifics about it. I'd like to improve it.

1. How EXACTLY do they gather information about us? Any examples? What kind of information?

2. Gathering info about us is one thing, but do you know if/how they actually use it (for their profit/to our disadvantage)?

Similar thing about Facebook. How do they benefit from gathering info about us? Any examples?

It's bad when you criticize someone/something without providing any actual examples. I'd like to change it when I discuss it with my friends.

Is google/facebook really using the gathered data to their financial/other advantage or they are just POTENTIALLY capable of doing it?

Well facebook is confirmed, google (afair), not so much. I think it's also worth noting in both cases they can only provide information you in turn provide them... so if you don't want your information out there............

LQ has a recent thread on Google privacy and one on Facebook privacy issues.

1. I have never used facebook, so I have no clue. Apart from the obvious of course.
Google collect from all their services. They scan trough your email and your documents (google docs), archive your search history and notice which of the search results you actually click.

2. That's why google is gratis. "There is no free lunch". Your information is what make them rich. They give you ads that you are more likely to click then random ads. It doesn't cost anything to have ads on Google, they get paid by their google-ads customers by click to their ads, not for having them on the page. So if your ad doesn't get any click, you won't pay either. If you get a lot of click, you pay them much. That's why they are so thirsty for information about you. They want to give you the perfect ad.

Here is a interesting documentary on google and their success: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/insid...ind-of-google/

I'm going to check the links that you posted. Thanks

Would you care to elaborate on it?

thanking you

I think they are able to gather information because once you write something on the internet and submit, it's like it's being published in a newspaper and it will always be there. Unless an administrator deletes it all.. or the entire site. Since that is not very likely, much of our information is out there floating around in code waiting to be deciphered and whatever.
do they use it to our advantage or not? that kind of opinion based. they use it to get us to buy more stuff, advertising, whatever we already like, they know about and they know how to get us to buy or want or even "need" more -- so it's you opinion -- then there's the identity stealers, the fact that your address and picture are posted in the same place, and any stalker or rapist can easily find you.
There are numerous ups and downs -- just to stay "connected" without using your voice. it's weird.

my only example is when you have added your interests and all that, once you've logged in and are on the "wall" homepage, there are ads to the right, geared toward your likes, or area that you live in. you gotta decide if that's good or bad.

Who cares.

People who care about their privacy.

As far as elaborating on the facebook privacy issue -- a simple google search will show you several instances in the last 2 years. They've revised policies several times, but they've also violated their own policy in the past.