I'll give a few general remarks and then I'll ask my colleague to elaborate.
In the introduction of any technology and in other areas of science--and in the case of information technology increasingly so--we've generally taken measures to adopt what is commonly known as the precautionary principle. As you introduce and deploy new technologies, in the absence of scientific evidence indicating with absolute certainty that there are no harms being done, the precautionary principle kicks in. It says that you must take the proactive measures--the “forecare” measures, to use the German term--to avoid risk. You must take those measures necessary to avert the potential harm that may arise. This is the key message that the commissioner and her colleagues worldwide are sending to organizations, especially those that, like Google, are model organizations and trendsetters: to adopt the spirit of the precautionary principle before deploying new information technologies.
I'll ask Dr. Patrick to speak to you about the specifics of this new technology.