Yesterday, while tinkering with Google Analytics, it was brought to my attention that the company continues to expand their catalog of tools that, while useful, also gather more and more data, which includes personal information: where we browse to, how much email we receive and where it's coming from, who we instant message with, where we shop, what we buy, what we search for, and now, who comes to our websites.
If the government were to provide these tools it would certainly have a big brother taint to it.
I don't really believe that anyone at Google brainstorms ways to gather massive amounts of data and then use it for malicious purposes but dammit soylent green is people and Google is getting more and more into the business of processing, storing, and analyzing all of the data of our lives. It's only a matter of time before the multi-national, multi-billion dollar company grows beyond the honor code they live by now and beyond any controls imposed by governments (see Microsoft anti-trust lawsuit).
Science-fiction continues to become science-fact at amazing pace and while this incredible growth rate has provided some truly wonderful tools and services it also applies to the chaotic themes of the genre. Remember, Skynet, WOPR, The Machines, etc. were all created to benefit man but evolved into brilliant antagonist hell bent on man's destruction.
Hopefully Google still believes in not being "evil", but just as the Wired article says: "It's inevitable that a company of Google's size and influence will have to compromise on purity."
Ok, enough of that, it's time to Google keyword "decaf" and keyphrase "increasingly large lack of intelligence at FOX when it comes to television programming".
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
As long as Google creates tools that people think are useful, well-designed and simple to use, they will continue to get a pass on privacy issues (for the most part and until something big comes up).
As far as Microsoft goes --- Passport, anyone?
In my experience, their tools just aren't as useful and since they are an operating system producer, there are always little catches here and there that favor the OS (must use IE, etc). Not so with Google.
So, I think Google will eventually get into some dicey situations regarding privacy, but the reasons they haven 't yet, IMO, is because their tools continue to please.
Marketing lists, I'm tellin ya. Google is on course to provide the most extensive database of names and activities to anyone needing a marketing list of business prospects or anything else. In no time, they will be putting Experian to shame.
Even if we grant that Google's management is truly dedicated to "don't be evil," we need to keep in mind that Google is now a publicly traded company.
The more juicy data that Google amasses on us, the more certain that one day EvilCo will pounce with a hostile takeover.
Your post is very timely; I have a pet project that aims to liberate (perhaps aggregate?) a person's data; stuff that is collected in various online systems and is "stuck" in that system.
So I'm curious about the concern over all this data that Google amasses. Is it that they've got data that you don't know about? That they have personal data that they will share without your consent? Maybe it's just that Google is collecting data about you that will never be "forgotten" or shared back with you.
I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
You know, everyone enjoys the massive amount of information that Google accumulates when they use their search service. Everyone is happy when they get a check mailed to them at the end of the month from the AdSense ads on their sites. Everybody loves having gigs of inbox storage that keeps on growing and growing. Everyone's happy to use a free Analytics service when they could be paying for one elsewhere, yet we're all bent on screaming bloody murder when it comes to our privacy. I say, if people don't like it, they shouldn't use it. Let democracy speak. The 'net is after all supposed to be democratic (as democratic as democracy can realisticly get).
It's inevitable. You need to index the web in order to search it. You need to store e-mail somewhere for a web-based service. You need to scan the contents of a page in order to deliver context-sensitive ads.
Will Google betray our trust? Who knows. But if we're that scared about it, then we should let our actions speak by not using their services.
*sigh* I'm off to check my Gmail...
As for that comment about Fox...You know, upon its return to the airwaves, Family Guy blasted Fox for its crappy (at best) run of late-night programs. Despite this type of negative attention, the network continues to bust out ridiculously stupid concepts with washed up actors and actresses. If they're not banking on someone's past, then they're shelling out for new programs that are just plain stupid. It's not like Fox is going to become the next MTV, anyway. And by god, who in the hell would want them to be? I think they should slim down to Football, Family Guy, and the Simpsons. Maybe sprinkle some 24 in there. HA. I just thought of it. They need some MXC! Nothing says lovin like Japanese people shamelessly bustin their craniums.
I like the soylent green reference... reminds me of one of my favorite scifi short stories turned into a twilight zone episode (I think)... entitled 'to serve man'.
Monitoring participation is the best way to increase effectiveness (read user centric). Predictive markets are likely next on google.
Wow, good pints. I just had written a post praising Google for its production of Analytics.
I was talking to a friend this summer about GMail vs Hotmail; and I argued, that given then choice, I trusted Google more with personal data than I did Microsoft.
He disagreed; because, he felt that Google actually had the brains to be able to do something with the data- design some sort of algorithm to exploit it for their benefit, wheras Microsoft would never get around to getting something like that working, since they were/are fairly technically inept.
And; I think he might be right.
You know, I far prefer that google be the guys to have "a file on me" than some other more malicious company. I've just come to except that with the proliferation of information technology there's no such thing as privacy and my life is, has, and will continue to be an open book to powerful people interested in reading it.
p.s. FOX are MORONS!!!! cancelling Arrested Development OMFGWTFBBQ! This shouldn't be a surprise though, this is after all the same network that cancelled Firefly and Family Guy.
I have to wonder what kind of consumer driven pop-culture world we live in where a television network can make so many damn mistakes and continue to exist. My hope is that Bravo or another cable network will see the goldmine here and continue to produce it for at least another full season while playing the hell out of past seasons.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's time to issue a fatwa against FOX.
Pretty soon some guy will testify that he killed his wife and kids because Google told him to do it.
And I couldn't agree more re: Fox. I haven't seen a better show on TV since Seinfeld. Arrested Development is pure genius. Although I think it could be even better if it was picked up by HBO and uncensored.
TV shows don't continue because they're good, they continue because they're popular and profitable. Why is it surprising that most of America doesn't like what a thinking person with taste would like ... have you stepped outside recently?
Rather than explain why Google is a potential candidate for information abuse, and why I'm convinced it's just a matter of time before the wealth of information at Google becomes a threat, I'll just point you to this link:
Google and the president of India
And if I find any information on the entities that are funding Google through their investments, I'll share that too.
I'm waiting for a Google colonic. When's that coming out?