• by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, June 8, 2007

The proposed Google-DoubleClick merger has drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates, but it's becoming increasingly clear that even without DoubleClick, Google poses a threat to people's privacy.

In papers filed with the Federal Trade Commission this week, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and other privacy advocates outlined the various ways Google collects information about users independent of DoubleClick.

First, Google keeps track of every query typed into its search engine and ties this information to IP addresses. Users have no way to opt out of this practice, and Google doesn't intend to give them one. In fact, Google's idea of a concession was to announce it would "only" store such data for 18-24 months.

Of course, Google's access to information goes well beyond search queries. As outlined in the supplemental complaint filed by EPIC, there's also Google Maps, Toolbar, Blogger, Okrut, Gmail, and Checkout, among other services. Combined, there's no question that Google has the raw data it needs to construct more detailed profiles of individual users than has ever been done before.

So far, Google's public comments defending itself have been vague at best. Google said in a statement to the media, that EPIC hasn't shown that Google fails to follow "accepted privacy standards" and that "Google aggressively protects user privacy, and user trust is central to Google's values and essential to the success of our products."

Given the stakes, Google needs to cough up a more detailed plan for protecting users' privacy than that.