surveillance in the digital age

not well-known enough fact:
google keeps track of your IP address and the records of what you've searched for (through their server logs)...they are legally allowed to keep this information until 2038 (that's when the cookies expire).
personal information (as on amazon) is used to "customize content" for you...meaning, individualizing the advertisements according to what they know about you.
In essence, what you search for and what you write (gmail) is then sold back to you through specialized advertisements. this is beneficial, obviously, because google gets ad revenue when people click-through links.

I know I've completely simplified this issue...I'd be happy to hear whether this affects your thoughts on the media company and whether this tracking would deter you from using Google services.

And oh yes, I encourage you to read their "privacy policy"!
(this is so oddly ironic as blogger is owned by google)