Google is in some hot water for bypassing privacy controls on the Safari Web browser in iOS devices–and allegedly on Internet Explorer as well–to surreptitiously track users’ online activities. While Google deals with the backlash and regulatory scrutiny from the FTC, there is an important lesson to be learned: privacy is dead.

I am not suggesting that it is OK for Google, or any other company to intentionally circumvent privacy controls to access information the user has specified should not be shared. But, you should also be aware that you don’t actually have a “right” to privacy, and that even if you did that ship has probably sailed.