Privacy Appears on Google.com Over Holiday Weekend

According to Google, the "time was right" for the company to post a link to a privacy policy on its homepage.

It certainly was.

The California Online Privacy Protection Act states that a company is in violation of the Act if they fail to post its policy within 30 days of being notified of noncompliance.

Google released its modified homepage including the privacy link 30 days after receiving a letter from organizations, including the ACLU of Northern California.

California State Assemblymember, Joel Anderson, who represents San Diego, also sent Google a pointed letter on June 10, 2008, notifying the company that:

"If you do not comply with the online privacy act I will pursue other avenues to bring you into compliance- be it through the Attorney General's office or any other means at my disposal including new legislation."

Google's posting finally brings the site in line with the widespread practice of other commercial web sites.