ARCHIVE: Google Privacy Policy

View current privacy policy | Version 07/01/2004 | Version 08/14/2000

Google respects and protects the privacy of the individuals that use Google's search engine services ("Google Search Services"). Individually identifiable information about you is not willfully disclosed to any third party without first receiving your permission, as explained in this privacy policy ("Privacy Policy").

Google and Cookies

Upon your first visit to Google, Google sends a "cookie" to your computer. A cookie is a piece of data that identifies you as a unique user. Google uses cookies to improve the quality of our service and to understand our user base more. Google does this by storing user preferences in cookies and by tracking user trends and patterns of how people search. Google will not disclose its cookies to third parties except as required by a valid legal process such as a search warrant, subpoena, statute, or court order.

Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. Be aware, however, that some parts of the Google Search Service may not function properly if you refuse cookies.

What Information Do We Collect?

Google does not collect any unique information about you (such as your name, email address, etc.) except when you specifically and knowingly provide such information. Google notes and saves information such as time of day, browser type, browser language, and IP address with each query. That information is used to verify our records and to provide more relevant services to users. For example, Google may use your IP address or browser language to determine which language to use when showing search results or advertisements.

Links to Other Sites

The sites displayed as search results or linked to by Google Search Services are developed by people over whom Google exercises no control. Other links, such as those for the Google-friends mailing list archive, are also on sites not controlled by Google. These other sites may send their own cookies to users, collect data, or solicit personal information. Google may choose to exhibit its search results in the form of a "URL redirecter." When Google uses a URL redirecter, if you click on a URL from a search result, information about the click is sent to Google, and Google in turn sends you to the site you clicked on. Google uses this URL information to understand and improve the quality of Google's search technology. For instance, Google uses this information to determine how often users are satisfied with the first result of a query and how often they proceed to later results.

With Whom Does Google Share Information?

Google may share information about you with advertisers, business partners, sponsors, and other third parties. However, we only divulge aggregate information about our users and will not share personally identifiable information with any third party without your express consent. For example, we may disclose how frequently the average Google user visits Google, or which other query words are most often used with the query word "Linux." Please be aware, however, that we will release specific personal information about you if required to do so in order to comply with any valid legal process such as a search warrant, subpoena, statute, or court order.

Your consent and changes to the Privacy Policy

By using the Google Search Services and our web site, you consent to the collection and use of your information as we have outlined in this policy and to our Terms of Service Policy. Google may decide to change this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post those changes on this page so that you are always aware of the information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it.

Who can I ask if I have additional questions?

Feel free to contact us any time and we'll answer any additional questions you may have.