Exactly What’s Under the Chrome, Anyway?
“And all the while, Google will be doing the usual, capturing your data, your documents, your habits. And, how will they use all this information? To do what they do: deliver ever more precisely targeted ads, with concomitant higher response rates, and thus generate more dollars.”
Everytime google releases something new, every time facebook has an upgrade, every time a new online community goes up… there’s always a group of people who get their panties in a bunch because of privacy issues. They don’t like that they know everything there is to know about us. That they can sell that data. That they are evil. That we can get fked over.
Maybe its because I’m an exhibitionist at heart, and have not suffered the consequences of having my life exposed. I don’t see what the big deal is. Yes, they’re using all that data to give me more precise ads. You know what? I don’t mind all that much. I have yet to see how this affects my every day life.
Maybe its because I’m not an average internet user, I’m a web developer, I spend at least 10 hours a day looking at websites. I don’t pay attention to ads as I browse the net. But a part of me thinks this is a retarded point, after all, do you all look around at every single ad, sticker, spray-painted message and such when walking down the street? Do you believe them all? No right? Right.
I kinda like it to be honest. Facebook for example started to use all my browsing data to give me accurate ads, and you know what? Yesterday it told me the MMVA’s are this sunday (I’d forgotten about it), told me of this great restaurant in Church St I should check out, and advertising a radio station I already listen to.
Or maybe its that I inherently trust this medium. The people that created Facebook or MySpace were developers like me, who came up with a great idea to connect people, not to make millions. Then they got bought over, and bla bla bla, so there’s someone up there now who does care about the millions. But they’re going to make money the usual way: advertising. Not by some far-fetched idea …
My point is, we’ve been getting advertising and marketting shoved that down our throats since we were old enough to understand what a TV was. Why care now? Does it really matter if Google has a “complete catalog of their surfing and working, talking and texting, and meetings and greetings”?
PS: this is not an angry rant by any means. I’m honestly curious what those privacy-conscious people think. Its an invitation to open the floor for a smarty/intelligent discussion —not tumblr bashing.
