HACKER Q&A
📣 matesz

Why does Google word privacy settings like you agree even when off?


Found this confusing language in personal Gmail account update today.

The intro paragraph says "You agree to let Google Workspace use your Workspace content and activity to personalize your experience across Workspace". And only then they present with the options - whether to turn the special features on or off.

It reads like you're agreeing to the data use regardless of whether you actually enable the features. The detailed documentation suggests data is only used when features are enabled, but that opening sentence creates blanket consent language.

Is this intentionally misleading UX copy, or just sloppy writing that creates legal ambiguity?

  👤 youngtaff Accepted Answer ✓
Based on other settings in Chrome, Android etc I think they’re written to be deliberately unclear

All these things will have been through a legal review so I don’t think it’s carelessness

👤 watwut
So that you accidentally agree due to being confused. It was deliberately worded that way.
👤 pluc
Because they don't make money if you have decent privacy settings.
👤 lproven
Has Anyone Really Been Far Even as Decided to Use Even Go Want to do Look More Like?

Sorry for the jab but I couldn't decode the question here.

👤 bitwize
I'm reminded of video games where an NPC asks "Will you undertake this perilous quest?" or whatever, and the available responses are "Yes" and "Sure".
👤 kotaKat
Because assault culture is alive and well at Google and they’d like to gaslight you into consent.
👤 tt349292
> Google began by unilaterally declaring that the world wide web was its to take for its search engine. Surveillance capitalism originated in a second declaration that claimed our private experience for its revenues that flow from telling and selling our fortunes to other businesses. In both cases, it took without asking

From "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" -- source https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jan/20/shoshana-..."

👤 Havoc
At this stage I have no idea what Google is or isn't using for what purpose. Which presumably is the point.

Thankfully all my stuff is on own domains so will just move it to a more respectable provider

👤 resfirestar
I can't see what you're talking about. In my account, in the General tab of Gmail settings on the web, under "Manage Workspace smart feature settings", I see a toggle for "Smart features in Google Workspace", followed by this paragraph:

>When you turn this setting on, you agree to let Google Workspace use your Workspace content and activity to personalize your experience across Workspace. Workspace includes apps for businesses and schools, such as Gmail, Chat, Meet, Drive, and more. To learn more, visit the Workspace website. Smart features include:

The setting for the listed features is above the "you agree to let Google Workspace use your Workspace content and activity to personalize your experience across Workspace" intro, not below. The setting below is for features in non-Workspace services.

👤 weare138
Google has a long history of using dark patterns in their privacy settings to mislead users. There's a reason all the privacy settings for Google products are in scattered locations and have vague and ambiguous descriptions as to exactly what data is being gathered.
👤 snapplebobapple
Because they switched to being evil?
👤 Aeglaecia
this is presenting a question as an imperative, a known hypnotism/manipulation technique. in other words google is taking an optional choice and masking it in a commanding voice - unless your brain is actively and consciously questioning the input it is recieving , it is liable to process the command without question , and unthinkingly answer 'yes'. almost like an SQL injection, in that data can be interpreted as logic. this makes my stomach turn.