One More Way Google Doesn't Give You the Full Picture…

Google’s motto might as well be “trust us” – it’s the company’s usual retort when real concerns are raised about its plans.

After all, Google’s in the business of deciding what information Internet users get to see.

So, we weren’t surprised to see them take Forrester analyst Henry Harteveldt’s comments out of context in a Google Policy Blog post this morning, quoting him saying that “I think there’s a little bit of sour grapes on the part of some of the companies that are not the companies buying ITA.”

Last week, Harteveldt told another reporter that FairSearch and its members’ concerns were “legitimate points.” Decide for yourself, here’s what Harteveldt told Wade Roush of Xconomy:

“There is substance to the concern about whether their data will remain confidential. They want to make sure Google is not going to go in and start snooping on the types of searches that are being done through their websites, and either sell that data to anyone else or do anything inappropriate with it. The other concern is that they want to know that they will have fair access [to QPX] when their current contracts expire, and at a fair price. Those are legimate points.”