Google data merge called privacy threat

Google’s new plan to link user data across its email, video, social-networking sites has come under fire from critics who say it’s an invasion of privacy because of the sheer volume of information collected and the inability of users to opt out.

Under the plan, information collected about individuals will be integrated across 60 Google products including Gmail, YouTube and web search. Users will have to agree to a new privacy policy that will encompass data including location measurements collected on mobile devices.