http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/ over-promising since 2006 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:56:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-20 Tue, 29 May 2007 09:34:52 +0000 http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-20 I am not sure I trust either. Both will claim that collection of data is in our interests. But both with have ulterior motives. Google want to build a database of preferences and understanding of people choices and behavior. This will be used to 'sell' you stuff - or be sold others to 'sell' you stuff. They will say it is to help you make informed consumer choices. The Government will say that data held will help to protect people and inform policy. There is always two sides to the coin - some data will be used for good and sometimes for control. The proliferation of data transfer and storage may mean a revision of the Data protection laws is necessary. I am not sure I trust either. Both will claim that collection of data is in our interests. But both with have ulterior motives. Google want to build a database of preferences and understanding of people choices and behavior. This will be used to ’sell’ you stuff - or be sold others to ’sell’ you stuff. They will say it is to help you make informed consumer choices. The Government will say that data held will help to protect people and inform policy. There is always two sides to the coin - some data will be used for good and sometimes for control. The proliferation of data transfer and storage may mean a revision of the Data protection laws is necessary.

]]> http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-19 Fri, 25 May 2007 14:15:06 +0000 http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-19 You're right as well. Maybe we have to make a clearer distinction between Google the search engine and Google the brand (with problems about privacy, human genome and china...) We are at a stage where Google will appear more as a brand than a search engine and then trust will actually become their main challenge. You’re right as well. Maybe we have to make a clearer distinction between Google the search engine and Google the brand (with problems about privacy, human genome and china…) We are at a stage where Google will appear more as a brand than a search engine and then trust will actually become their main challenge.

]]> http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-18 Thu, 24 May 2007 15:07:48 +0000 http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-18 In principle I think you're right - Google is about value exchange, and people who think about it don't mind giving their data to someone in exchange for something valuable, as long as it isn't mis-used. It's that last part that's about trust, and at a time when we're debating privacy and civil liberties because of the "war on terror" it's interesting to contrast that debate with the one about Google knowing everything you do online. In principle I think you’re right - Google is about value exchange, and people who think about it don’t mind giving their data to someone in exchange for something valuable, as long as it isn’t mis-used. It’s that last part that’s about trust, and at a time when we’re debating privacy and civil liberties because of the “war on terror” it’s interesting to contrast that debate with the one about Google knowing everything you do online.

]]> http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-17 Thu, 24 May 2007 15:01:04 +0000 http://blog.markhopwood.com/2007/05/24/who-do-you-trust-the-most-google-or-the-government/#comment-17 I am not sure that Google is about trust… it’s more about commodity. People see Google as a metaphor for the internet their shortcut to find stuff. Google fame has been build around giving the right info in the smallest amount of time. In a postmodernist society, people don’t believe in governments and traditional institutions anymore. At the moment Google is still perceived as relatively objective because people thinks of it as a service and not as a brand… the bigger the brand will be the less trustworthy it will be. I am not sure that Google is about trust… it’s more about commodity. People see Google as a metaphor for the internet their shortcut to find stuff. Google fame has been build around giving the right info in the smallest amount of time. In a postmodernist society, people don’t believe in governments and traditional institutions anymore. At the moment Google is still perceived as relatively objective because people thinks of it as a service and not as a brand… the bigger the brand will be the less trustworthy it will be.

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