The Google Takeover

Our lives today is very much taken over by technology.  We use technology for so many things and have become dependent on it for many of our daily activities.  Google especially plays a huge part in our lives.

I personally use Google anytime I am looking for an answer to a question that I have or just simply looking for more information about something.  I do believe that Google is very powerful because people depend on it for answers.  It is the easy way out that people turn to whenever they need help or more specifically, information, pictures, videos, etc.

People may say that we are addicted.  But, I don't think using Google is an addiction, I see it more as a tool.  I would say people are addicted to Pinterest or video game, but not Google.  We may use this search engine a lot, but it is not that we are addicted, it is the fact that this has been an online success created for the purpose of people using it in whichever way they find it beneficial.

There has been the controversial talks about Google endangering our privacy, but is it really? I don't think so.  Google may use images of us, but they are not images we haven't already posted online.  People should expect that once they upload an image online, it is out there for people to see.  As for the issue of Google using our history of searches to choose the results that we see after we hit search, well I see that as more beneficial than an invasion of privacy.  It is definitely up for debate thought since people are not comfortable with their history being shared with third parties. I guess at the same time this can be a concern depending on the content of the searches. Google is only trying to help get you the best results so what if they use your history, it is not like they are telling everyone what you have searched for in the past.

Another issue is whether the Googlization of our lives is endangering our independence.  This is where I'm on the fence for this issue.  In one way I would say no because it is not like Google can do everything for us, we are still independent.  But, on the other hand, I see how Google has definitely made us rely on it for a lot of things.  One thing would be academics.  With Google it is easier to search for  answers quickly instead of taking the time to read or even do research.  It saves people a lot of time and energy, which can be seen as a  good and a bad thing.  Overall though, Google does more good then bad.  Google teaches us a lot and with all that we can learn I believe it can make us smarter.

A good book to check out about Google is, The Googlization of Everything, by Siva Vaidhyanathan.