• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

eBay will pay nearly $50 million after employees reportedly sent a Massachusetts couple a bloody pig mask, cockroaches and death threats

2

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

3

Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline

1

eBay will pay nearly $50 million after employees reportedly sent a Massachusetts couple a bloody pig mask, cockroaches and death threats

2

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

3

Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
TechGoogle

Google Faces New Pressure Over So-Called ‘Super Profiles’

Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 25, 2017, 10:20 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Regulators in Europe and the U.S. are taking a closer look at a recent policy change by Google that allows the search giant, in some cases, to blend data from different services and offer more targeted advertising.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the investigation has been prodded in part by one of Google’s rivals, Oracle (ORCL), which presented slide shows to regulators with the title “Super Profiles Now a Reality.”

The controversy turns on Google’s announcement last year that it would begin combining data in new ways. For instance, a user’s browser activity on Chrome might be combined with her general search history and Gmail data, and all that might in turn be coupled with location data from Google Maps and other apps.

Google announced the new policy last June, and it went into effect in October. But—crucially—it is opt-in for existing users. The default for new users, however, is for Google to put them into the blended regime.

If you’re a Google user who wants to check if the blended data feature is on, go to your account settings (through Gmail or another of the company’s services), and then go to “Manage My Activity” and then “Activity Controls.” You should see a control panel like this one which will show if the blended data settings are on or off.

google-account

In a statement, Google (GOOGL) pointed out the changes are optional and intended to give users more control over their data, and also suggested its rival’s privacy complaints are hypocritical. (Oracle owns giant data brokers like BlueKai).

AppDynamics, a so-called unicorn startup with a valuation of over $1 billion dollars, filed to go public in December and planned to trade on Nasdaq. (Although those plans have changed now that Cisco (CSCO) is buying AppDynamics for $3.7 billion.) Companies like Nike and Kraft use AppDynamics’s technology to monitor how their software and apps are operating.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“Oracle claims to be the world’s largest audience data marketplace, so it knows how competitive digital advertising is. Its complaints, and those of its proxies, are frivolous,” said a Google spokesperson.

The Journal report says the regulatory investigation into the Google changes also extend to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, though that may not be significant. The agency, which does not discuss active investigations, pursues hundreds of such inquiries every year and only a small percentage of those result in disciplinary action.

The pressure on Google is likely to be more intense in Europe where data protection rules are stricter, and where the search giant is already embroiled in a long-running antitrust fight with regulators.

About the Author
Jeff John Roberts
By Jeff John RobertsEditor, Finance and Crypto
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jeff John Roberts is the Finance and Crypto editor at Fortune, overseeing coverage of the blockchain and how technology is changing finance.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., during the Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, US, on Friday, July 10, 2026.
Big TechMeta
Meta stock drops 10% as free cash flow gets crushed—and Zuckerberg hints at launching cloud business with few details
By Eva RoytburgJuly 29, 2026
19 minutes ago
Man in glasses gesturing
Big TechMicrosoft
Microsoft’s cloud just hit a new milestone—Azure crosses $100 billion in annual revenue
By Amanda GerutJuly 29, 2026
3 hours ago
Southeast Asia is ‘hungry for innovation’ and eager to leapfrog, says SAP’s new APAC president Verena Siow
AISAP
Southeast Asia is ‘hungry for innovation’ and eager to leapfrog, says SAP’s new APAC president Verena Siow
By Angelica AngJuly 29, 2026
3 hours ago
Inside China’s two-speed economy: Why goods consumption is slumping even as exports and services boom
EconomyAsia Agenda
Inside China’s two-speed economy: Why goods consumption is slumping even as exports and services boom
By Nicholas GordonJuly 29, 2026
4 hours ago
Trump, Sam Altman, and Demis Hassibis at the G7.
AIOpenAI
More than 1,200 AI workers across Anthropic, DeepMind, OpenAI, and Meta are asking for Washington’s help building an AI slowdown plan
By Beatrice NolanJuly 29, 2026
4 hours ago
sam altman looks down while reporters ask questions
CybersecurityOpenAI
Hugging Face drops in-depth hack report, while OpenAI gives us 7 bullets. Here’s what we know now, and what remains a mystery
By Emily ForliniJuly 29, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

eBay will pay nearly $50 million after employees reportedly sent a Massachusetts couple a bloody pig mask, cockroaches and death threats
Law
eBay will pay nearly $50 million after employees reportedly sent a Massachusetts couple a bloody pig mask, cockroaches and death threats
By The Associated Press and Leah WillinghamJuly 28, 2026
1 day ago
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
Success
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
By Preston ForeJuly 29, 2026
9 hours ago
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
Retail
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
By Sydney LakeJuly 29, 2026
10 hours ago
Jamie Dimon says his stockbroker father taught him to invest with a 'brutally hard' childhood game
C-Suite
Jamie Dimon says his stockbroker father taught him to invest with a 'brutally hard' childhood game
By Sarah GlodekJuly 29, 2026
18 hours ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
5 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 29, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 29, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.