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Regular Google users may not even notice the slight change made to Google’s homepage. After all, most of our attention is drawn straight to the search box. But some sharp eyed observers would have. Google’s newest feature is the inclusion of a Privacy link. Previously the last line on the page simply read “© 2008 Google”. Now it says “© 2008 - Privacy”.

As Marissa Mayer, VP Search Products & User Experience explains on the company blog here, the reason for replacing the word rather than adding a new link was one of wordcount totals. Apparently It was decided long ago to have restrictions placed on the page layout design. Google’s desire to keep it uncluttered set the magic number at 28 words.

The new privacy link takes you to a Google Privacy Center. It’s interesting this makes an appearance now amid all the YouTube happenings. One must wonder why in fact we haven’t ever seen one of these links before front and center when they’re so commonplace on websites.

It turns out at least one journalist already has pondered on this. Just over a month ago New York Times reporter Saul Hansell, in an article entitled Is Google Violating a California Privacy Law? , questioned their reluctance to put this link on their homepage.

Google responded they were in compliance with privacy laws. Hansell brought in a senior fellow with the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology who said he didn’t think they were. He explained why. Did Google take the gentleman’s argument to heart about their privacy page being too far away at 3 clicks?

I have a feeling they’ll never tell.