What if Google Became Evil

Google just launched yet another new service this week. It’s basically a Twitter-like service called Buzz. Not everything Googles jumps into actually takes off really successfully, so it is still to early to say how Buzz will work out. However, at some point, it starts to get horrifying how Google is everywhere. Steve Jobs, at a recent Apple company town hall meeting, made Google out to be evil. Is Google going to be the Skynet of Terminator fame?

Google has thus far been positioning itself as the good guy. Search is their core business, but they give you plenty of things for free, with few services that actually require payment. They shook up the free email service by offering gigantic email storage with their Gmail service. Since then, they’ve expanded to do all sorts of things: browser, operating system (both phone and PC), etc.

Few of these services actually add to their profit bottom line, at least not directly. Do you wonder what Google is up to?

What if, one day, Google says, uh oh, Gmail now costs $1 per month per GB. What now? Many services depend on a Gmail account now. Their Chrome OS beta, for example, requires a Gmail account to login. Yes, a Gmail account to login to your “own computer”. What if Gmail becomes not free?

Don’t you think that with Google setting up a public DNS and getting everyone to use their DNS, they will start to learn too many things about you? What about Google Latitude tracking your movements? Hmm. You realize, Google probably knows more information about you than any other Internet organization.

Then, what about Google kicking up a fuss with the Chinese government, and then getting the US National Security Agency to beef up their company defenses?