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Every company has two mission statements: The stated one and the real one. Google's real mission statement is "make shitloads of money selling everyone's person

Every company has two mission statements: The stated one and the real one. Google's real mission statement is "make shitloads of money selling everyone's personal information to advertisers." The noises Google makes about being "useful" are just cover for the fact that being useful is the only way they can entice everyone to give them that personal information for free. If Google could get a law passed that required everyone to have a grain-of-rice sized Android tracker implanted in their body, Google would do it in a heartbeat. And then the need for all that expensive "usefulness" would be over.

JohnJamesRambo 8y ago
>a grain-of-rice sized Android tracker implanted in their body I don't even think they need that with everyone having a smartphone.
gordon_freeman 8y ago
This is a very cynical way to look at Google's business. I agree that their business model is based on connecting (mostly relevant) ads from the advertisers to the users with the help of user data but I do find some of those ads pretty useful. Let me just give you one example: I had almost missed the due date for the smog check on my car and at the last moment I searched on Google with query "smog check nearby" and I found the top Ad with the nearest to me and with the cheapest rate for the smog check service. I had a really good and pleasant experience as well. So That's Google for me: It helps me when I need it the most.
umeshunni 8y ago
Given that you lack basic understanding of how advertising works, the rest of your argument is moot.
- dreamcompiler 8y ago
  Please enlighten me as to what I'm missing about how advertising works.
  - SquareWheel 8y ago
    If you think Google "sells everyone's personal information to advertisers", then you are mistaken about their business model as umeshunni said. Google themselves explain it clearly and openly. https://safety.google/privacy/ads-and-data/ https://safety.google/privacy/ads-and-data/
    - dreamcompiler 8y ago
      I know Google doesn't literally sell my personal information. They collect it and use it to match a demographic that advertisers want. But the fact remains that Google collects my personal information -- they couldn't match my demographic otherwise. And that means that Google itself is a giant repository of everyone's personal information, even if they choose (today) not to sell it, not to give it to governments on demand, and not to misuse it in any other way. But should we trust them forever not to do so? And why?
      - gniv 8y ago
        But that's what you said: > "make shitloads of money selling everyone's personal information to advertisers." It's a very important difference between trusting Google with the data, and trusting a random advertiser.

JohnJamesRambo 8y ago

>a grain-of-rice sized Android tracker implanted in their body I don't even think they need that with everyone having a smartphone.

gordon_freeman 8y ago

This is a very cynical way to look at Google's business. I agree that their business model is based on connecting (mostly relevant) ads from the advertisers to the users with the help of user data but I do find some of those ads pretty useful. Let me just give you one example: I had almost missed the due date for the smog check on my car and at the last moment I searched on Google with query "smog check nearby" and I found the top Ad with the nearest to me and with the cheapest rate for the smog check service. I had a really good and pleasant experience as well. So That's Google for me: It helps me when I need it the most.

umeshunni 8y ago

Given that you lack basic understanding of how advertising works, the rest of your argument is moot.

dreamcompiler 8y ago
Please enlighten me as to what I'm missing about how advertising works.
- SquareWheel 8y ago
  If you think Google "sells everyone's personal information to advertisers", then you are mistaken about their business model as umeshunni said. Google themselves explain it clearly and openly. https://safety.google/privacy/ads-and-data/ https://safety.google/privacy/ads-and-data/
  - dreamcompiler 8y ago
    I know Google doesn't literally sell my personal information. They collect it and use it to match a demographic that advertisers want. But the fact remains that Google collects my personal information -- they couldn't match my demographic otherwise. And that means that Google itself is a giant repository of everyone's personal information, even if they choose (today) not to sell it, not to give it to governments on demand, and not to misuse it in any other way. But should we trust them forever not to do so? And why?
    - gniv 8y ago
      But that's what you said: > "make shitloads of money selling everyone's personal information to advertisers." It's a very important difference between trusting Google with the data, and trusting a random advertiser.