Google launched Google Health today and this time it's about drugs, lots and lots of drugs! Google is after the 20 billion dollar drug industry's advertisement money. Basically Google wants to know what ailments you have or might think you have, and then wants to sell ad companies ad space to target you. Just like good old television you let Google tell you about problems like Restless leg syndrome, the cure for which causes gambling problems and sexual urges.

Google health has a privacy policy, it's not an agreement, it's simply a policy. That means that basically they say that they will behave a certain way, if they breach that policy what recourse do you have? Absolutely none (other than going to bitch at the media)! In order to get that sort of information from me, first of all let's agree that you're not going to try to pimp me out to some money-crazed drug company, i.e. not show me ads about drugs, then after about a million years I might consider having you host my medical information.

Google also says that it's going to share the information with third parties without your consent:

(a) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable 
governmental request.
(b) enforce applicable Terms of Service, including investigation of potential 
violations thereof,
(c) detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues
(d) protect against imminent harm to the rights, property or safety of Google, 
its users or the public as required or permitted by law.

Google further says that it may change the privacy policy, but it will let you know when it will do so.
Now let's consider for instance that you live in California and are a medical marijuana user. Marijuana is illegal in the United States, but the California government often says piss off to the Federal government and does what it wants. There is no way for the Federal government to get their hands on that information, but if you use Google health you can bet they will know and the next time you try to board a flight, you'll be screwed.

So remember kids, stay safe, and stay away from private companies that want you to share information with them without a strict agreement with recourse if the information is compromised. Until that, hold onto your information like there is no tomorrow.