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Chickenshop via Google Images
Is Google a monster? |
In the midst of the dot-com-bubble-style euphoria triggered by
Google buying YouTube (a $1.65 billion stock transaction), I see very little criticism leveled at Google over this deal. But not everyone is happy. According to
WSJ.com (subscribers only), NewsCorp is threatening to ban YouTube videos from MySpace as a result of this deal.
As Google continues to grow, it has shown some stripes that clash with its "don't be evil" mantra. The idea that Google will leave YouTube intact is possibly wishful thinking on the part of loyal users.
This is especially likely if you look at what Google did to Writely (its Web-based word processor) today -- they combined it with a Web-based spreadsheet application and relaunched it as Google Docs. This comes after buying Writely in March. Since then, Google has changed Writely's interface, made a GMail account mandatory, redirected the old site, and deleted the cached version of the site.
It's no wonder that Google -- the poster-child for the "post-dot-com-bubble" bubble -- is on NewsCorp's hitlist. I think Google should be on every media company's hitlist.
As a veritable superpower in information gathering and publishing, we should remember that Google has used its power to censor the Internet in China, and to help itself win court cases through exclusive access to its GMail spam filter data. And in Belgium, Google scoffed at legitimate copyright claims.
The cultural impact of such power is to stifle competition and innovation -- the very things Google says it stands for.
Can someone please step up and say we're facing a monster?
Stephen, I saw a tongue-in-cheek request further down the board...
