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Google Empire

Reivax

Critical Thinker
Reivax
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
259
A friend of mine recently showed me the following video (I can't post the links in full as I require more posts to obtain the privileges).

youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfV6RzE30

After doing a bit of a search, I found a very similar video which was published in 2008 expressing similar concerns.

youtube.com/watch?v=RRj2HJx5Il0

Are these videos expressing unwarranted paranoia or a valid concern?
 
Thankyou :)

Haha, yeah, it certainly does make you wonder.
 
Without looking at these videos (don´t have time now) Google is at least an advertising empire, and as a private company they can choose to limit anyone's advertising whom they don´t tolerate for some reason. Also if we knew what websites exactly are excluded from the Google service, not everyone would agree with the censorship policy that does take place to some extent.
 
JJM 777 said:
Without looking at these videos (don´t have time now) Google is at least an advertising empire, and as a private company they can choose to limit anyone's advertising whom they don´t tolerate for some reason. Also if we knew what websites exactly are excluded from the Google service, not everyone would agree with the censorship policy that does take place to some extent.
Click to expand...

That's not what it was about. It was about Google expanding and collecting information on people for use in advertising. I can see why it might bother some people but it doesn't really bother me. Between my Android phone, Gmail, Google Calender, search, maps, ect. Google probably knows more about me than my mother. But I don't really care.
 
I'm far more worried about government surveillance than Google
 
I like Google. I've come to know a few people who are actually close friends with the founders, and I very much respect them and their opinion of the founders. It's easy to be scared and paranoid about this if you just look at how things can be abused.
 
dtugg said:
That's not what it was about. It was about Google expanding and collecting information on people for use in advertising. I can see why it might bother some people but it doesn't really bother me. Between my Android phone, Gmail, Google Calender, search, maps, ect. Google probably knows more about me than my mother. But I don't really care.
Click to expand...
I don't use all of Google's services, but I'm pretty committed to letting them handle my non-Windows needs. They've done right by me with their search engine and Gmail, and I now carry both an Android phone and an Android tablet. So, they have access to most of my online information, and so far I'm pretty comfortable with it. I don't feel as hemmed in by their products as I might if, for example, I was using an iPhone and iPad. There's an openness to what they do that I appreciate; the transparency isn't complete (and can't be, if they want to maintain their position) but until I feel abused I'll stick with 'em.
 
I feel particularly odd, however, when I get an Email on my Gmail account that contains some slightly esoteric topic, to see ads targetting this topic on the Gmail pane. For example, I happened to Email someone about a tourmaline gemstone, and all of a sudden, I'm getting ads for coloured gems.

Now - I've never clicked on one of those ads (well - I think ALMOST never) so its not a massive intrusion. However it is slightly spooky. I don't think it would be a difficult stretch for this sort of routine to be abused. That Google is concerned almost exclusively with selling advertising content probably keeps them more or less above board. But if they ever WANTED to rule the world, they have a rather compelling database & they clearly know how to use it.
 
Antiquehunter said:
I feel particularly odd, however, when I get an Email on my Gmail account that contains some slightly esoteric topic, to see ads targetting this topic on the Gmail pane. For example, I happened to Email someone about a tourmaline gemstone, and all of a sudden, I'm getting ads for coloured gems.

Now - I've never clicked on one of those ads (well - I think ALMOST never) so its not a massive intrusion. However it is slightly spooky. I don't think it would be a difficult stretch for this sort of routine to be abused. That Google is concerned almost exclusively with selling advertising content probably keeps them more or less above board. But if they ever WANTED to rule the world, they have a rather compelling database & they clearly know how to use it.
Click to expand...

I am evil. I want to take over the world. So to do that I need to take over Google. That is easy. Then what I do? Any ideas?

Also should there be any restraints on Google? Or will everything on a computer be either Windows or Google in the future?
 
How should Google get hold of my genetic data?

The mere fact that these videos are on YouTube tells the tale. If Google really wanted to be evil would they not censor videos revealing their plan?
 
password_reuse.png


http://xkcd.com/792/
 
Not seeing anything surprising in those vids. I don't have an issue.
 
So Google's evil plan is to show me the advertisements that are most likely to be selling products that I actually want and don't already know about? Wow, that sounds truly awful. Show me the feminine hygiene ads instead!
 
Now hang on a cotton-picking minute here... Perhaps you're not reading between the lines, my sarcasm about Google.

However - IF and just IF Google somehow (and I don't know how, and I don't have any big conspiracy theory about them) wanted to know who was say... writing Emails criticizing a political regime... They would have that information, assuming one was writing those Emails from your Gmail account.

If you were doing that now, I guess they could bombard you with adverts featuring pictures of Glenn Beck.

The OP asked if there was any sort of concern about Google collecting information on you. I don't really have a particular concern, however I DO find it eerie how quickly they can send me targetted ads, even for relatively obscure things. This suggests to me that they DO have a lot of information about me - at least so far as the sorts of things I send / receive Emails about on my Gmail account.

They have not showed me that they are or have the intention to use that information for anything more insidious than to send me ads that I will most likely ignore - and they told me ahead of time that they were going to do so.

No particular issues here.
 
Google is the coolest company in the world. They are co-hosting a conference with ex-extremists like Islamic fundamentalists, neo-Nazis and hardcore gang members with the purpose of helping end these practices on earth. They are pioneering driverless cars so people stop dying for no reason. They are going to have to do some particularly evil stuff for me to doubt their divinity.
 
Joey McGee said:
Google is the coolest company in the world. They are co-hosting a conference with ex-extremists like Islamic fundamentalists, neo-Nazis and hardcore gang members with the purpose of helping end these practices on earth. They are pioneering driverless cars so people stop dying for no reason. They are going to have to do some particularly evil stuff for me to doubt their divinity.
Click to expand...

Well... while I would agree with you that this sounds like a particularly interesting foray into activities that I wouldn't generally associate with a tech company, I do scratch my head about a couple of things you mention above.

The conference, for example, COULD be a rather slippery slope. How does one REALLY know that an ex-Islamic extremist is no longer an extremist? Is there not the slightest possibility that fraternizing with ex-Neo Nazis and ex-gang members can somehow afford an air of legitimacy to these sorts of groups? From an ethical perspective, should the US be negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan, for example?

And - what is their business interest in all this? They are a publicly traded company. Where is the revenue stream from this altruistic work? If I were a shareholder, I'd want to know what in their corporate mission statement suggested they are best positioned to mediate a whole lot of social evil? I mean I guess if Google is seen as the saviour of the world and the catalyst to end Islamic terror, then that is going to be accretive to everyone's bottom line, but I'm not willing to swallow that particular bait just yet.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not for a second questioning the 'divinity' of Google (well, I question the use of 'divinity' in pretty much any context. Lets call them a 'force of good, generally'). But I'd feel their efforts were probably better spent building even better search engines, driving better targetted ads, and developing better tech products. Google Chrome still needs a bit of work.

-AH.
 
Antiquehunter said:
Well... while I would agree with you that this sounds like a particularly interesting foray into activities that I wouldn't generally associate with a tech company, I do scratch my head about a couple of things you mention above.

The conference, for example, COULD be a rather slippery slope. How does one REALLY know that an ex-Islamic extremist is no longer an extremist? Is there not the slightest possibility that fraternizing with ex-Neo Nazis and ex-gang members can somehow afford an air of legitimacy to these sorts of groups? From an ethical perspective, should the US be negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan, for example?
Click to expand...

I can't understand you're concern, it seems evident that just the opposite is true, that by holding a conference on it, you're basically saying they are crazy and pathological. It's a "these people suck" conference. They are dealing with it head on. The State Dept. has 9/11 truth debunking material on their website, does that give legitimacy to them? Only in the minds of the believers. They should negotiate with them if that would lead to more well-being for all, philosophy and ideology shouldn't apply in war.

And - what is their business interest in all this? They are a publicly traded company. Where is the revenue stream from this altruistic work? If I were a shareholder, I'd want to know what in their corporate mission statement suggested they are best positioned to mediate a whole lot of social evil? I mean I guess if Google is seen as the saviour of the world and the catalyst to end Islamic terror, then that is going to be accretive to everyone's bottom line, but I'm not willing to swallow that particular bait just yet.
Click to expand...

I think questioning a company's philanthropy is akin to questioning a politicians patriotism. You'd better have some coherent arguments or evidence to back up the idea that it's a ploy. Google.org has published a lot on their philosophy and have addressed the world's concerns many times. Innocent until proven guilty?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not for a second questioning the 'divinity' of Google (well, I question the use of 'divinity' in pretty much any context. Lets call them a 'force of good, generally'). But I'd feel their efforts were probably better spent building even better search engines, driving better targetted ads, and developing better tech products. Google Chrome still needs a bit of work.

-AH.
Click to expand...

I could not disagree more. Their human and technological capital must be put to good use, it would be immoral not to, they are far too good at what they are doing. Google does so much good, you could write a tome about it. I use divinity in the naturalistic sense, like a god, not from god. It's a sweet word they can't have it!
 
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Hey, they've treated me pretty well thus far. The lady I've been working with has been quite nice. I just hope that this project works out and they start giving me more hours.

I mean, it's only the second Evil Empire I've worked for as a contractor but Microsoft doesn't count. I was only working for a subsidiary there.
 
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