Comment Re:Not About Pornography (Score 2, Interesting) 326
What a rant.
"Make no mistake, this is a disruptive technology. Marketers will not like it. Webmasters will not like it. Google will not like it."
In case you missed it, Google put this feature into their own web browser product. I get it. People are afraid of Google because they are very large and powerful. But all this scaremongering and anti-Google sentiment is, IMO, unfounded. Yes, they have had instances where their "Don't be evil" pledge has been tested. However, overall, I have not seen them do anything "evil". I have seen many scaremongers and tinfoil hatters speculate on Google's "evil" intentions. But I have not seen Google step across that black-and-white boundary into "evil" territory.
Secondly, I understand people not wanting to be tracked. It scares them. I understand that online ads and spam are bane of the web. People hate them. I hate them. That is understandable. However, ad revenue is what drives the internet economy. Without it, you would have to pay a subscription to (almost) every site you frequent. Sure, there would be free sites just like there is free software. But the majority of content producers would require a subscription fee to enjoy their content. Ads make the internet free.
Tracking makes ads more relevant to each individual user. Although you (and those like you) see tracking as evil, tracking actually helps reduce the number of ads that are completely irrelevant to you. I would much rather see ads for tech products than for women's shoes or the latest hip hop CD.
You fear these private companies having all this information about you and your online habits. But what is the threat? Are you afraid they will provide products and services that meet your individual need? I am much more concerned with governments compiling such information than private companies.
"Make no mistake, this is a disruptive technology. Marketers will not like it. Webmasters will not like it. Google will not like it."
In case you missed it, Google put this feature into their own web browser product. I get it. People are afraid of Google because they are very large and powerful. But all this scaremongering and anti-Google sentiment is, IMO, unfounded. Yes, they have had instances where their "Don't be evil" pledge has been tested. However, overall, I have not seen them do anything "evil". I have seen many scaremongers and tinfoil hatters speculate on Google's "evil" intentions. But I have not seen Google step across that black-and-white boundary into "evil" territory.
Secondly, I understand people not wanting to be tracked. It scares them. I understand that online ads and spam are bane of the web. People hate them. I hate them. That is understandable. However, ad revenue is what drives the internet economy. Without it, you would have to pay a subscription to (almost) every site you frequent. Sure, there would be free sites just like there is free software. But the majority of content producers would require a subscription fee to enjoy their content. Ads make the internet free.
Tracking makes ads more relevant to each individual user. Although you (and those like you) see tracking as evil, tracking actually helps reduce the number of ads that are completely irrelevant to you. I would much rather see ads for tech products than for women's shoes or the latest hip hop CD.
You fear these private companies having all this information about you and your online habits. But what is the threat? Are you afraid they will provide products and services that meet your individual need? I am much more concerned with governments compiling such information than private companies.
