This past week, several readers raised questions about our recommendation for Google Apps. One note (from our I.T. guy here at Team Expansion) reminded us that Google wasn’t really a technology company, at heart. Instead, he asserted, Google is an advertising company using Tech as the delivery vehicle. (Thanks Greg.)

Another reminded us of Google’s own Terms of Service,…

http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS

He added, “Google harvests everything (including sensitive information) that is sent through Gmail accounts. Data stored on Google Drive becomes property of Google. And the insidious part about this is that they do it with our permission (unlike the NSA that at least works to get at our sensitive data). They have categorically stated that you cannot assume any sort of privacy when using Gmail (and by extension Google Apps). See:

http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/GOOGLE-If-You-Use-Gmail-You-Have-No-Legitimate-4730587.php

He went on to say, “Some of the tech people I have contact with have even reported private links to private websites suddenly showing up on Google after they were emailed to someone with a Gmail account who needed access to the site. Google Chrome also harvests information that they have no business having (see here:

http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_chrome_vs_iron.php

“so, according to this Brigada participant, it is not a browser for people in sensitive locations.” (Thanks J…)

Does this affect your willingness or likelihood of using Google apps for your team’s content? Knowing that they data-mine everything (including the content you place in your private docs), should you be thinking of switching to a secure solution, and if so, which one(s) are you considering? Please click “comment” under the web version of this item. Thanks for any insights you can share.