In this detailed essay you've helped confirm my very general, simplistic thinking re this dilemma. Your mention of cigarettes and AT&T---the debunking of "the science" behind cigarettes in much of the 20th century ("nine out of ten doctors prefer Camel") and the bust up of Ma Bell---gives historical hope that Google will eventually be brought to heel at the First Amendment.
Thanks for your instructive analysis, criticisms, expose, and especially for various potential solutions regarding Google and the search industry and experiences. I understand that Google has incurred significant legal setbacks and will continue to face scrutiny and constraints from Federal law enforcement. You shed considerable light on some dark ongoing problems.
Excellent work, Bill. Helping the public understand the control and manipulation of these entities like Google is important work. Most are not aware nor understand what is happening, little by little.
Companies like Google know more about someone and the people they are directly and indirectly connected with than that person does.
Governments are big customers overtly and covertly of this data.
I appreciate you sharing this information. For most of us, being aware is half the battle.
Intriguing analysis of what I have used so often for years. However, lately, I have switched to Grok for very good responses to technical questions that Google could rarely answer until recently. For example, Grok provided nearly instant answers to my very specific questions about early Spanish missions in what became Texas (for my new novel). Google's essay-style response was much improved over its past performance but not nearly as good as Grok's. This brings up another question: Will students begin using Grok's well organized, nicely written responses for assignments that require written essays? I don't want to be a passenger on a jet with a pilot or a patient of a surgeon who obtained most of their degrees by parroting what they found on Grok.
When I first started using google many years ago, I had no clue about their politics. Now I am more or less dependent on them and, though it is not a top priority for me, it does concern me. If someone at google got it out for me, they could screw me over. I've thought about switching over to another email service, but I have not yet done it. I would still keep my gmail account though, and the switchover would be a continuous process for years.
I must admit though that I don't understand the concern about google or any other company "selling my data." I guess it depends on what kind of data it is. If it is personal or health data, I can see the concern, but I don't understand why I should care if they sell my online browsing or purchasing data. I see that Consumer Reports provides a service to stop companies from selling my data. Why should I care? What am I missing?
Thanks Bill.
In this detailed essay you've helped confirm my very general, simplistic thinking re this dilemma. Your mention of cigarettes and AT&T---the debunking of "the science" behind cigarettes in much of the 20th century ("nine out of ten doctors prefer Camel") and the bust up of Ma Bell---gives historical hope that Google will eventually be brought to heel at the First Amendment.
Thanks for your instructive analysis, criticisms, expose, and especially for various potential solutions regarding Google and the search industry and experiences. I understand that Google has incurred significant legal setbacks and will continue to face scrutiny and constraints from Federal law enforcement. You shed considerable light on some dark ongoing problems.
Thanks for this comment. You can think of my piece as a view from the trenches.
Excellent work, Bill. Helping the public understand the control and manipulation of these entities like Google is important work. Most are not aware nor understand what is happening, little by little.
Companies like Google know more about someone and the people they are directly and indirectly connected with than that person does.
Governments are big customers overtly and covertly of this data.
I appreciate you sharing this information. For most of us, being aware is half the battle.
Intriguing analysis of what I have used so often for years. However, lately, I have switched to Grok for very good responses to technical questions that Google could rarely answer until recently. For example, Grok provided nearly instant answers to my very specific questions about early Spanish missions in what became Texas (for my new novel). Google's essay-style response was much improved over its past performance but not nearly as good as Grok's. This brings up another question: Will students begin using Grok's well organized, nicely written responses for assignments that require written essays? I don't want to be a passenger on a jet with a pilot or a patient of a surgeon who obtained most of their degrees by parroting what they found on Grok.
When I first started using google many years ago, I had no clue about their politics. Now I am more or less dependent on them and, though it is not a top priority for me, it does concern me. If someone at google got it out for me, they could screw me over. I've thought about switching over to another email service, but I have not yet done it. I would still keep my gmail account though, and the switchover would be a continuous process for years.
I must admit though that I don't understand the concern about google or any other company "selling my data." I guess it depends on what kind of data it is. If it is personal or health data, I can see the concern, but I don't understand why I should care if they sell my online browsing or purchasing data. I see that Consumer Reports provides a service to stop companies from selling my data. Why should I care? What am I missing?