<div dir="auto">Olga said:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">“<span style="font-size:inherit">Though Google had our info since we started using their products, their stated policy was to protect any information they had about us from outsiders, including the govt.”</span></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">I’m not sure they were any different than other internet information providers: they all followed the requests of the government for information about their clients activities if the government filed the proper requests. </font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">What might be different now is the superior ways AI programs can handle such information in reasoning about its meaning, and the possibility of commingling user’s data in their databases of “knowledge”. </font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">I don’t see this as an intentional plan by Google to help the Government spy on individuals. </font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Just to check, I ran Olga’s statement through Perplexity asking it if her statement</font> in her most recent post was true. I pasted the results below.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">— Harry</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Here is what perplexity said:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><font face="-apple-system, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div style="font-size:inherit" dir="auto">“The claim is not true. Google’s policy on protecting user data from government requests, including requiring legal process and reviewing each one, has not changed under the current Trump administration. Cooperation remains limited to valid legal requests, as before.[google +2]</div><div style="font-size:inherit" dir="auto"><br style="font-size:inherit">Policy Consistency<br style="font-size:inherit">Google states it does not provide governments direct access or sell user data, and it challenges overly broad requests regardless of the administration. Recent transparency reports and policies confirm the company reviews all requests to ensure legal compliance, narrowing or objecting as needed. No evidence shows a shift to “happily cooperate” without process.[google +3]</div><div style="font-size:inherit" dir="auto"><br style="font-size:inherit">Recent Deals<br style="font-size:inherit">Agreements like the 2025 GSA deal for Gemini AI tools involve government procurement of services, not user data sharing from Gmail or Docs. These are commercial contracts for federal use, separate from individual user privacy policies.[foxbusiness +1]</div><div style="font-size:inherit" dir="auto"><br style="font-size:inherit">Data Requests Process<br style="font-size:inherit">For scenarios like mass deportations, Google would still require warrants, subpoenas, or court orders per U.S. laws like ECPA, as outlined in their handling policies. Historical practices show notifications to users when possible and opposition to improper demands. Trump administration data pushes target agencies like SNAP, not private companies like Google.</div><br></font><br clear="all"><br clear="all"><div dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="text-align:left"><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><table cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:19.2px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:auto;background-color:rgb(238,238,238);color:rgb(0,0,0)"><tbody style="font-family:verdana"><tr style="font-family:verdana"><td valign="top" style="font-size:10pt;width:306px;font-family:verdana"><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><a href="http://www.forsdick.com/resume/" rel="noopener" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Harry Forsdick</a><br><a href="http://lexingtontmma.org/" rel="noopener" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Town Meeting Member Precinct 7</a><br><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=harry@forsdick.com" rel="noopener" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">harry@forsdick.com</a><br></span><a href="http://www.forsdick.com/" rel="noopener" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">www.forsdick.com</a><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></span></td><td style="width:15px;font-family:verdana"><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"> </span></td><td valign="top" style="font-size:10pt;width:179px;font-family:verdana"><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><a href="https://goo.gl/xZXT2F" rel="noopener" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">46 Burlington St.<br>Lexington, MA 02420</a><br><a href="callto:17817996002" rel="noopener" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">(781) 799-6002 (mobile)</a><br></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Jan 17, 2026 at 11:07 AM OLGA P GUTTAG via LCTG <<a href="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us">lctg@lists.toku.us</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><div style="line-break:after-white-space">Though Google had our info since we started using their products, their stated policy was to protect any information they had about us from outsiders, including the govt. Now, as they happily cooperate with the current administration, if Trump decides to, say, deport all Chinese-Americans and needs to find some reason, getting all email/docs for these people from Google is pretty much guaranteed. <div><br></div><div>So what is different now is Google’s change in how they protect our info.</div></div><div style="line-break:after-white-space"><div><br></div><div>Olga<br id="m_-8021721515035606676lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Jan 17, 2026, at 10:39 AM, Adam Broun <<a href="mailto:abroun@gmail.com" target="_blank">abroun@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br><div><div style="line-break:after-white-space">Google has always had access to Gmail, Docs etc in order to sell advertising. And they’ve always been good at searching/indexing it. So what's different now?<div><br><div><br id="m_-8021721515035606676lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Jan 17, 2026, at 09:47, Stan Rose via LCTG <<a href="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us" target="_blank">lctg@lists.toku.us</a>> wrote:</div><br><div><div dir="auto">If it's Gemini you want to avoid, then you will have to stop using SIRI because Apple has announced they will partner will Google to use Gemini in Siri.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><div style="font-size:inherit"><a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/13/google-gemini-siri-capabilities-report/" style="font-size:inherit" target="_blank">https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/13/google-gemini-siri-capabilities-report/</a></div><br></div><div dir="auto"><br clear="all"><div dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Stan<br><a href="mailto:stan_rose@alum.mit.edu" target="_blank">stan_rose@alum.mit.edu</a></div></div></div><div><br></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Jan 16, 2026 at 11:13 PM OLGA P GUTTAG via LCTG <<a href="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us" target="_blank">lctg@lists.toku.us</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)">Lauren has also advised users to stay away from Google docs, since that is the next place they will start pushing Gemini. Sounds like moving everything away from Google is in my near future - SIGH.<br>
<br>
Olga<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
> On Jan 16, 2026, at 10:26 PM, Drew King 65 via LCTG <<a href="mailto:lctg@lists.toku.us" target="_blank">lctg@lists.toku.us</a>> wrote:<br>
> <br>
> I read about this last week. I've already gone into Gmail and turned everything off but thanks for telling everybody. I was going to send out a link that had instructions but your instructions are correct. <br>
> <br>
> I'm in the process of getting off gmail. I already have a new posting company for my email I just need to move the last month's worth of mail over to my new hosting company and update my DNS I plan on getting this done before the end of the month. <br>
> <br>
> Bye bye Gmail for me. <br>
> <br>
> I'm also moving towards encrypting all of my inbound mail on the mail server so even the new hosting company and Google can't read my mail . <br>
> <br>
> As far as Gemini is concerned I limit my use of it to questions regarding Google products mostly android. <br>
> <br>
> <br>
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===============================================<br>::The Lexington Computer and Technology Group Mailing List::<br>Reply goes to sender only; Reply All to send to list.<br>Send to the list: <a href="mailto:LCTG@lists.toku.us" target="_blank">LCTG@lists.toku.us</a> Message archives: <a href="http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/" target="_blank">http://lists.toku.us/pipermail/lctg-toku.us/</a><br>To subscribe: email <a href="mailto:lctg-subscribe@toku.us" target="_blank">lctg-subscribe@toku.us</a> To unsubscribe: email <a href="mailto:lctg-unsubscribe@toku.us" target="_blank">lctg-unsubscribe@toku.us</a><br>Future and Past meeting information: <a href="http://LCTG.toku.us" target="_blank">http://LCTG.toku.us</a><br>List information: <a href="http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us" target="_blank">http://lists.toku.us/listinfo.cgi/lctg-toku.us</a><br>This message was sent to <a href="mailto:abroun@gmail.com" target="_blank">abroun@gmail.com</a>.<br>Set your list options: <a href="http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/abroun@gmail.com" target="_blank">http://lists.toku.us/options.cgi/lctg-toku.us/abroun@gmail.com</a><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div>===============================================<br>
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