Google’s Privacy Battle Too Weird To Satirize?
Written by Evan SchumanSometimes satire gets so close to reality that it’s unsettling. ‘Tis the case with a piece that The Onion ran Tuesday (March 2) about Google’s data mining and privacy efforts. The article described Google’s efforts to assure consumers that it protects their privacy. But as Google attempts to make its case, more confidential data slips out.
According to the satirical piece, “While admitting that security measures need to improve, Google officials also claimed that everyone makes mistakes, be it storing confidential data indefinitely or, say, ‘having a few too many drinks on the evening of Jan. 23, driving home in a haze, striking a pedestrian on the corner of Mercer and Cavendish, speeding off, and then desperately searching online for hit and run laws, right, Karen?'” Well worth a read.
Cards issued by European banks when used online cross border don't usually support AVS checks. So, when a European card is used with a billing address that's in the US, an ecom merchant wouldn't necessarily know that the shipping zip code doesn't match the billing code.
-Marc
