When it comes to perceptions about its respect for user privacy, it’s been a rough month for Google. The roll-out of its new privacy policy consolidation was widely characterized as a “controversial” threat to users’ personal information — one even worthy of congressional hearings. Then a Stanford researcher discovered that Google was circumventing privacy settings on Apple’s Safari browser. Now, Microsoft has cried foul about Google’s non-compliance with its own outdated and widely disregarded IE privacy standards.

From a communications standpoint, having all these stories break so close together creates quite a challenge, as the rising hubbub over these largely non-stories (more on this in a minute) threatens to drown out any reasoned defense from the web search giant. But it also creates an opportunity to communicate clearly and effectively about Google’s privacy protections and core principles to an engaged and gathered audience. To date, this is an opportunity the company has not adequately seized.

Before I get into why I think Google has been largely flat-footed and tone deaf in its communications on these issues, let me touch briefly on the issues themselves. I called these non-stories, and I believe they are. I’m not in the business of defending Google, but I think an objective observer with a reasonable understanding of a) how the internet works and b) how free enterprise works should not get riled up over any of these recent revelations. Google’s radical change to its privacy policy was…wait for it…that it combined its dispersed and overlapping policies from YouTube, G+, and dozens of other services into one intelligible document. OH, THE HUMANITY!!! Come on, guys. That one company had over 60 different privacy policies to begin with was the real problem here. As for the browser tracking revelations, Google is one of countless websites using cookies to understand user behavior. Welcome to the internet.

It’s the minor nature of these issues that makes Google’s failure to influence the discussion around them all the more glaring. So what should Google be saying about privacy if it wants to lessen the likelihood that consumers will become more jaded about its handling of this issue than they already are? In my mind, their message should be focused not on what this change will allow Google to do, but on how it will (first and foremost) not be a threat to their users’ privacy, and (secondarily) how it will allow their users to get more out of Google’s services.

To illustrate this, I’m using the email Google sent to all Gmail customers introducing the new policy. The company has communicated about this issue through various other channels, including blogs, social media, and the traditional media. But given that this email was its primary mode of direct communication with Google users — and that all the messaging missteps I believe the company has made on this issue are encapsulated here — I think this makes for a good example.

The email begins this way:

We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google.

Right out of the gate, Google sets the tone for its messaging strategy around this change — and entirely overlooks the primary concern the change raised in the mind of users, critics, and commentators. From these two sentences it is clear that Google thinks its users want policies that are “shorter” and “easier to read,” and services that are part of one “simple” and “intuitive” experience. By omission, the suggestion is that users care less that these policies and services protect their information and give them control over how it is used. In fact, the new Google policy does both — but that’s not immediately clear here, and you have to do some digging to really understand that this is the case.

Below I’ve put the original Google message (reformatted to fit on this blog) on the left, and my suggested revisions and comments in red on the right.

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Dear Google user,

We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google.

We believe this stuff matters, so please take a few minutes to read our updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service at http://www.google.com/policies. These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.

 

 

One policy, one Google experience

Easy to work across Google

Our new policy reflects a single product experience that does what you need, when you want it to. Whether you’re reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease.

Tailored for you

If you’re signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries – or tailor your search results – based on the interests you’ve expressed in Google+, Gmail, and YouTube. We’ll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you’re searching for and get you those results faster.

Easy to share and collaborate

When you post or create a document online, you often want others to see and contribute. By remembering the contact information of the people you want to share with, we make it easy for you to share in any Google product or service with minimal clicks and errors.

Protecting your privacy hasn’t changed

Our goal is to provide you with as much transparency and choice as possible, through products like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager, alongside other tools. Our privacy principles remain unchanged. And we’ll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).

Got questions?

We’ve got answers. Visit our FAQ at http://www.google.com/policies/faq to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two.)

Notice of Change

March 1, 2012 is when the new Privacy Policy and Terms will come into effect. If you choose to keep using Google once the change occurs, you will be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

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Dear Google user,

To serve you better, we’re consolidating over 60 different privacy policies from Google’s wide array of services and replacing them with one straightforward, comprehensive policy. This new policy clearly states how we will protect your information, how you can make choices about its use, and how what you choose to share will improve the services we provide to you every day. These are all key tenets of our core privacy principles.

We know these issues matter to you, so please take a few minutes to read our updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.

 

Protecting your privacy hasn’t changed

• You can make choices about how your personal information is used through products like Google Dashboard and Ad Preferences Manager
• We’ll never sell your personal information without your permission
• We’ll never share your personal information without your permission (except for rare circumstances like valid legal requests)

 

An improved experience across our services

• More seamless searching and integration across Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, and more
• Search queries and results tailored to your stated interests
• Simple and efficient options for sharing content with the people in your life

 

Talk to us

Protecting your privacy, being transparent, and giving you choices about how your personal information is used are among our top priorities at Google. We want to hear any questions you have about this change to our privacy policy. Review our FAQ to learn more, and contact us anytime.

 

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As you can see, I think Google’s decision to focus on the flexibility these privacy policy changes will give them to tailor services to users is a mistake. Certainly that flexibility is valuable — and in time users will understand just how valuable as they become accustomed to even more efficient searching and functionality across Google’s very impressive array of services. But now, at this uncertain moment when all people know is that the policy is changing, what users need most is to be reassured that their personal information is safe. If I’m Google, any time there is a chance that a headline will contain the words “Google” and “privacy,” I should have an aggressive communications strategy in the works that emphasizes this point.

In a sign that Google recognizes this reality of public perception, the company today reversed course and endorsed ‘Do Not Track’ technology, which lets users opt out of online tracking (apparently an extension for Chrome is already available as of tonight). This seems like a wise move, both to stem the rising tide of criticism and, most importantly, to demonstrate clearly that Google is not an enemy of user privacy. Anyone who takes the time to read Google’s new policy and privacy principles knows this is the case. If only their messaging conveyed that more effectively.