Not sure about Google

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by classicman

Google’s Results Get More Personal With “Search Plus Your World”

Whats up with this? Thoughts from the more computer savvy, please.
Link

Classic, that is a very interesting link.

But in a way, it appears to me as one of those "expansions" that
could eventually lead to downfall of Google's very success.
It has the same fragrance as the privacy issues of FaceBook.

I would like to believe all Google searches yield a "good faith" result,
based on some sort of scholarly derived algorithm.
But with the new Google+YourWorld, do I start worrying that may not be the case.

The idea is ridiculous of changing search results just because another
Dwellar- or FB- or Google-contact, visited Neiman Marcus or
my picture is in someone's Picasso file and Google's "facial recognition" is overly eager.

Another issue coming to my mind is among family members using the same computer.
Will my 8-yr old granddaughter suddenly get postings of my postings or postings from Dwellars ?
New code for the Cellar postings: NSF8yrolds

And, how many "pages of personal" results will take up screen geography.

One of my favorite sayings is: "There is a special hell for people who design packaging"
A corollary may soon be added for overly eager Google MBA software designers.

Or, maybe I'll just hit the "un-friend button" for the world.

[Undertoad]

Here's the whole thing

Last year Google founder Larry Page became Google CEO. And he noticed that a large part of the value of the Internet is in its ability to leverage social connections.

Facebook had just announced that it had figured out that it could target advertising to you because you told it what you like. This had pretty massive implications for a search company trying to pitch you ads based on what you are looking for.

Page also saw a world where companies who fail to quickly change direction are put at great risk.

So in April 2011, Page told his employees that the size of their bonus would be tied to the success or failure of the company's "social strategy".

This is a rather ham-handed way to turn a company's attention, but remember that the Google hiring plan, for the last 10 years, was intended to create a "monoculture" of geeky problem-solvers...

...and you know just how social those folks are... maybe because you are one...

But the problem is that Google has now sullied its otherwise-pristine search results with self-promotion, which it has never done before.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

<snip>

But the problem is that Google has now sullied its otherwise-pristine
search results with self-promotion, which it has never done before.

HLJ, do you feel the "sullying" is in the "self-promotion" or in the "social strategy" ?

It seemed to be the latter because in Classic's link, Google spoke of
being willing to connect with FB --- If FB was willing to expose "deeper data".
.

[Lamplighter]

This is an interesting article and project... "Do No Evil" ... particularly to me as an Google uber-fan.
And as someone who loves it when "hoisted with his own petard" happens in real life.

eWeek.com
Clint Boulton
1/23/12
Facebook Targets Google+ With 'Don't Be Evil' Tool

Facebook, Twitter and MySpace have ganged up on Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG)
controversial personal search results feature with Focus on the User,
an effort to show what Google's search results would be like
if they retrieved results from other Web services.<snip>

The output of Focus on the User is the Don't Be Evil bookmarklet,
which taps Google's own ranking of its organic search results to determine
what social content should appear in Google+ results
--such as results from Facebook, Twitter and other sources
--instead of just the Google+ posts, photos and brand pages that currently surface
in Search, plus your world.<snip>

How does this Google+-modifying hack work?
For results where Google decided that it's relevant to surface Google+ pages
as a result in any of the areas where Google+ content is hardcoded,
the bookmarklet searches Google for the name of the Google+ page.

From there, the tool identifies the social profiles within Google's top 100 results.
"The ones Google ranks highest—whether they are from Flickr, Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn, MySpace, Quora, Tumblr, Foursquare, Crunchbase, FriendFeed,
Stack Overflow, Github or Google+
— replace the previous results that could only be from Google+,"
according to the Focus on the User FAQ page.

Oh, oh, wait: here comes a man in a business suit...

The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly taking on the issue as part of its antitrust investigation into Google's search business.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Google knows the name of the-man-in-the-suit's mistress, swiss account number, and deepest secret fear.

[Lamplighter]

My opinion of the new management at Google is dropping rapidly...

Caveat emptor !

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...HOQ_story.html
Washinton Post
Cecilia Kang
1/24/12
Google announces privacy settings change across products, users can’t opt out

Google said Tuesday it will require users to allow the company
to follow their activities across e-mail, search, YouTube and other services,
a radical shift in strategy that is expected to invite greater scrutiny of its privacy and competitive practices.

The information will enable Google to develop a fuller picture of how people use
its growing empire of Web sites. Consumers will have no choice but to accept the changes.
The policy will take effect March 1 and will also impact Android mobile phone users,
who are required to log-in to Google accounts
<snip>

[classicman]

Gmail will now become another junk address for me if that happens.
So ... What else can I use? anyone?

[Griff]

I have to use gmail for work and since my machine at work doesn't work, I'm hosed.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by classicman

Gmail will now become another junk address for me when that happens.
So ... What else can I use? anyone?

FTFY

[Griff]

I'm really getting the urge to cut all electronic ties... I'll just surf Lemann's for the necessary equipment.. DOH!

[classicman]

Great! Thanks Lamp.
I just checked my other email accounts with aol & yahoo ... they're all full of spam/scams and asst BS. Frikkin fuuuhhhhh

[Lamplighter]

Just in case someone does want to cancel and delete their Google account, here is a link and brief directions...

MyDigitalLife

How to Close and Delete Google Account, Gmail, Talk, Orkut, Web History and Other Google Services

<snip>
If you no longer want to use any or all of the Google services,
you can delete and remove and delete any number of Google services
from your Google Account. Or if you wish, user can delete and close Google Account completely,
together with all services and information that associated with the Google Account.

Briefly, this is the procedure...
Read what Google says will happen if you do close and/or delete your account

Sign in and login to your Google Account at https://www.google.com/accounts/.
Click on Edit link beside My products heading.
You will see two sections – Delete a Service and Close Account.

To delete and remove a service from Google Account, pick an appropriate Delete <service name> link.

To completely terminate and delete Google Account and all services in one action,
click on the Close account and delete all services and info associated with it link.

Google will ask you to click on several check boxes to document you really do want to delete a service.

It's all straight forward and quick.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The information will enable Google to develop a fuller picture of how people use its growing empire of Web sites.

Sounds to me like they want this information to plan their business expansion/market strategy, rather than sell to marketers.

[ZenGum]

That's exactly what they want you to think.


Now take your pill and keep watching TV.

[Undertoad]

If you're afraid get a dog!