Google's Data Navy *
Like any country, I guess Google is planning to arm itself with its own navy of "data center boats" and go to war in the information/data arena. Back in 2008, Google filed for a patent that described a "water-based data center." These new "water world" data centers will give Google the ability to get computer centers closer to some "hard/costly to reach" customers. In addition, the patent presents the possibility of these ships generating their own electricity from ocean water and being completely autonomous. I am sure that environmental groups will give them a lot of support and free advertisement. However, the question is what is Google's real intent with such an ambitious development?
Microsoft seems to be working in a very similar idea; they are in the middle of creating a massive/mother data center made of several data centers inside standard shipping containers (metal containers) to maximize the use of space. Microsoft's containers have the advantage of being "modules that can be moved around to get the most computing power possible per square foot."* Other major server manufacturers like HP, IBM, Dell, and Sun Microsystems "have created their own data centers in shipping containers that they sell to service providers, the military and research labs."* Google had considered the idea of using containers in the past; the company filed a patent on the containers and they even built a prototype system in the garage of their Mountain View, California headquarters.
Google's arguments for the new technology is the following:
1) "Bring data closer to customers"*
2) "Floating data centers could aid the military or help out during a large event"*
What about purposes 3, 4, 5, etc? Do we really believe these are the only two purposes?
At the end of the day, all this "power" (I personally see information as power) is extremely dangerous in the hands of a few. It really scares me to see companies like Google and Walmart which have Profits that, if considered countries, could be in the top 30 - 50 GDPs in the world. Since Google owners already have so much money (each of them has a "customized" Boeing 727), would the company continue to live in gray areas and start considering unethical and aggressive use of data? In "lawless" international waters, could this become a paradise for the corrupt?
The following articles/blogs are concerning; the following publications already display several unethical behaviors from Google; what's next? Manipulate countries into Wars? It has been said that the third world war will be "ethnic based" - would the fourth world war be "information based"? This is very scary stuff.
Google Faces Antitrust Complaint In India For Possible Unethical Practices
http://www.ibtimes.com/google-faces-antitrust-complaint-india-possible-unethical-practices-702224
Google PR Nightmare: Search Giant Apologizes for Evildoing
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-misuses-mocality-database/38789/
Google Still Dealing with Unethical Behavior Allegations in Italy and Beyond
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2011/01/18/google-still-dealing-with-unethical-behavior-allegations-in-italy-and-beyond/
Search & Destroy - Why you can't trust Google!
http://www.searchanddestroybook.com/book.php
Main Reference/Source
* This post is based on New York Times blog post called "Google's Search Goes Out to Sea"
I think the issue of Google's possible unethical behaviors with data is an extremely complicated issue. It seems very easy to call them a monopoly, but that doesn't necessarily make it true. I think their point that there is definitely competition within the search realm is very true, no one is making you use Google over Bing or Yahoo. Also I think Google's argument that
ReplyDeleteThe first link you posted does not clearly state the issues that Google is being investigated for. It merely states that it uses it's dominant market share to crush competitors, something that doesn't seem to make sense when discussing the internet. A common thread among people when discussing monopolies using their market share to crush competition is through undercutting the competition, something that isn't particularly easy when the product is "free." I don't really understand how Google could possibly prevent a better product from succeeding, and it is not their responsibility to assist the competition. The fear mongering about what Google knows about you also seems very strange to me, they are not providing a public service. They are a private company that has to make a profit. They give away a lot of great products and for access you essentially agree to give them information about yourself. If you don't want to give them information then find something else to use. The problem is that Google has such immense popularity that it currently doesn't seem to be going anywhere, but I'm sure that's what people thought about AltaVista 10 years ago.