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Anyone who thinks this is an actual plot by Google, seriously, you need to notice your own confusion. It doesn't fit the modus operandi of any other way they m

by Eliezer 15y ago

Anyone who thinks this is an actual plot by Google, seriously, you need to notice your own confusion. It doesn't fit the modus operandi of any other way they make money.

brudgers 15y ago
If Mocality's assertion that the only way to directly build a directory of Kenyan businesses is boots on the ground, then either Google must put boots on the ground or build their directory indirectly. Let's assume that Google chose to put boots on the ground - what then is the most efficient way for those people to build a directory? It seems to me that utilizing Mocality's existing directory would at least be considered - Google's modus operandi has always been aggregating whatever is on the web and presenting it as their product. "Getting Kenyan Businesses Online" is a Google project and among it's partner benefits are: Opportunity to offer relevant value-added products/services that bolt onto the Google offering in support of SMB business growth Ability to run own events and drive participation across own customer base co-branded with Google [http://www.kbo.co.ke/partnerbenefits http://www.kbo.co.ke/partnerbenefits] The Next Web's Coverage of Google's kickoff stated: According to Google, together with its partners, “GKBO will provide free or subsidized services to help businesses to use web and internet technologies. This includes supporting organizations that provide assistance for small and medium businesses, as well as other industry organizations that are aligned with the aims of the initiative.” Note that the services are not necessarily free and that Google will partner with whoever it sees fit. [http://thenextweb.com/africa/2011/09/12/google-launches-program-to-help-get-kenyan-business-online/ http://thenextweb.com/africa/2011/09/12/google-launches-prog...] There's nothing in the allegations which is inconsistent with Google's M.O. of aggregating other people's data on the web and encouraging people to put more information online.
- swombat 15y ago
  It would be a million times cheaper and simpler for Google to acquire Mocality outright than to do what is being claimed they have done. I also don't believe that they have actually done this (but it'll be interesting to see this story unfold).
  - brudgers 15y ago
    Blindly assuming that Mocality is worth $10,000,000 and negotiations take 6 months - I'm not sure I see a positive ROI from a purchase given the labor and technology costs that appear to be involved based on Mocality's account of events. And that's before considering the uncertainty involved in a buyout and the relative certainty of acquiring the information directly off the web (and that this is Google's standard method for acquiring data to aggregate). Personally, I currently am leaning towards the belief that was Google subcontracting or partnering with boots on the ground, and the boots on the ground found the most efficient way of fulfilling Google's contract requirements - the move from Kenya to India is somewhat indicative of this in my mind.
ceol 15y ago
This is rather indirect, but didn't Google try to purchase Yelp a while ago? And isn't Yelp known for trying to extort business owners?
randallsquared 15y ago
Now that they've officially admitted that they were doing it, have you "noticed your confusion"? No amount of poor fit with previous actions offsets admitting that a Google team was actually doing this, no matter how inefficient it seems to us to have been doing it. :/
- caspianm 15y ago
  I still don't feel like I know the relationship between the perpetrators and google. Subcontractors, employees, or what? But I would be surprised for that apology to happen if there was no relationship other than impersonation.
- Eliezer 15y ago
  Yep, I confess I take a probability-hit on this one. I'm surprised; it's hard to make out who within Google was benefiting by going rogue. (I maintain that if Larry Page knew about this I'll eat a small edible hat.)

by Eliezer 15y ago

Anyone who thinks this is an actual plot by Google, seriously, you need to notice your own confusion. It doesn't fit the modus operandi of any other way they make money.

brudgers 15y ago

If Mocality's assertion that the only way to directly build a directory of Kenyan businesses is boots on the ground, then either Google must put boots on the ground or build their directory indirectly. Let's assume that Google chose to put boots on the ground - what then is the most efficient way for those people to build a directory? It seems to me that utilizing Mocality's existing directory would at least be considered - Google's modus operandi has always been aggregating whatever is on the web and presenting it as their product. "Getting Kenyan Businesses Online" is a Google project and among it's partner benefits are: Opportunity to offer relevant value-added products/services that bolt onto the Google offering in support of SMB business growth Ability to run own events and drive participation across own customer base co-branded with Google [http://www.kbo.co.ke/partnerbenefits http://www.kbo.co.ke/partnerbenefits] The Next Web's Coverage of Google's kickoff stated: According to Google, together with its partners, “GKBO will provide free or subsidized services to help businesses to use web and internet technologies. This includes supporting organizations that provide assistance for small and medium businesses, as well as other industry organizations that are aligned with the aims of the initiative.” Note that the services are not necessarily free and that Google will partner with whoever it sees fit. [http://thenextweb.com/africa/2011/09/12/google-launches-program-to-help-get-kenyan-business-online/ http://thenextweb.com/africa/2011/09/12/google-launches-prog...] There's nothing in the allegations which is inconsistent with Google's M.O. of aggregating other people's data on the web and encouraging people to put more information online.

swombat 15y ago
It would be a million times cheaper and simpler for Google to acquire Mocality outright than to do what is being claimed they have done. I also don't believe that they have actually done this (but it'll be interesting to see this story unfold).
- brudgers 15y ago
  Blindly assuming that Mocality is worth $10,000,000 and negotiations take 6 months - I'm not sure I see a positive ROI from a purchase given the labor and technology costs that appear to be involved based on Mocality's account of events. And that's before considering the uncertainty involved in a buyout and the relative certainty of acquiring the information directly off the web (and that this is Google's standard method for acquiring data to aggregate). Personally, I currently am leaning towards the belief that was Google subcontracting or partnering with boots on the ground, and the boots on the ground found the most efficient way of fulfilling Google's contract requirements - the move from Kenya to India is somewhat indicative of this in my mind.

ceol 15y ago

This is rather indirect, but didn't Google try to purchase Yelp a while ago? And isn't Yelp known for trying to extort business owners?

randallsquared 15y ago

Now that they've officially admitted that they were doing it, have you "noticed your confusion"? No amount of poor fit with previous actions offsets admitting that a Google team was actually doing this, no matter how inefficient it seems to us to have been doing it. :/

caspianm 15y ago
I still don't feel like I know the relationship between the perpetrators and google. Subcontractors, employees, or what? But I would be surprised for that apology to happen if there was no relationship other than impersonation.
Eliezer 15y ago
Yep, I confess I take a probability-hit on this one. I'm surprised; it's hard to make out who within Google was benefiting by going rogue. (I maintain that if Larry Page knew about this I'll eat a small edible hat.)