Blind Faith in Google

In the world we live in today, we are all about convenience. We want things cheap, fast, and easy. We don't go to McDonalds because their food is high-quality -- we go because they make their food fast and it is cheap. We live in an impatient society. We get frustrated when a video takes more than five seconds to buffer. Similarly, we go insane when our internet is not working as fast as it normally does. We want everything handed to us immediately and easily.

Google makes this happen. It "seems to offer us everything so cheaply, easily, and quickly. But nothing truly meaningful is cheap, easy or quick" as said by Siva Vaidhyanathan in his book titled "The Googlization of Everything" (4). One of the dangers Vaidhyanathan introduces in his book is the fact that because of Google's immediate benefits to us, we are completely dependent on it and have uncritical faith in the most popular internet search engine. So much so that Google thus crowds out other alternatives to finding answers and "may cause us to miss opportunities to do things better" (6). Think about it. Whenever we need information, we immediately think to Google it. You see, Google is so widely used that it's meaning has expanded from a noun to a verb: to Google. We no longer seek other alternatives to retrieving answers or information.

I, myself, am a prototypical example. One such alternative to Google is the library. The library is the place of knowledge, of information. The library is where one goes to find information. Or at least before Google became popular. If I ever step in the library, it is to do homework in an quiet and suitable environment. Not once have I gone to the campus library to find information on a topic for class or anything else for that matter. If I am curious about a topic or need to do research, I "Google" it. You know why? Because I am dependent on Google. I have faith that Google will find me exactly what I need. I have this uncritical faith in Google because it rarely fails me. It has so much information, that I find it impossible to not find something relative to what I am looking for.

And this is one Vaidhyanathan's major concerns -- that we, as a society, will stop looking for other alternatives and become so dependent and loyal to Google that it will make us blind to anything else. Google will continue to have this power over us to the extent that even when Google does something immoral like invade our privacy, we will overlook it. And it is already happening because of our blind faith in this increasingly powerful and popular search engine.

Privacy or Convenience?

Right now I am sitting at my desk, alone in my dorm room, typing this blog post. But in the back of my mind, I feel that I may not be alone. I am using the Lawrence wireless network, so there could be the chance that an administrator of Lawrence University is seeing what I am doing online.

More and more situations like these where privacy is compromised when using technology appear in today's society. Simson Garfinkel writes an intriguing article titled, "Privacy and the New Technology: What They Do Know Can Hurt You" addresses the issue of compromising privacy with new technology. Garfinkel states the reality that we as a society are trading our privacy for convenience. That "in order to enjoy the benefits of modern society, we must necessarily relinquish some degree of privacy" (324). Think about it. Technology makes everything more convenient for us. We are able to turn on our laptops and shop without even leaving our seat. We are able to pick up our cell phones, make a call or send a text, and communicate with someone without having to see them face-to-face. We are able to go online and listen to Taylor Swift's new album without having to go to the store and buy it ourselves. But at the same time, we are giving up part of our privacy. Just by going online, advertisers are able to see where we go and target their advertising in that way. Furthermore, joining social media sites allows us to put our personal information on the web for all to see. Or even by joining websites and creating passwords, this information stays in the database for people to discover. There is always a way for people, like hackers, to discover your information.

France 24, an international news channel, reported the issues of privacy with Google's mapping application in their article titled, "Watching Yourself... Google's Watching You." With Google street view, you are able to explore places around the world through 360-degree, panoramic, and street-level imagery. Now, these images are taken by Google's crew and civilians are often captured in these shots and many people are not okay with this invasion of privacy. For starters, it is unsettling to know that an image of you is available for anyone to see on the web. But more than that, this means that you could be caught doing something you would rather the public does not witness. Cheating on your significant other, for example, or sunbathing topless. Anything that exposes you against your own will. You can see how this is a big issue as addressed by Garfinkel.

We may made need to make an important decision if we want our privacy secured. That could involve no more putting our personal information on social media webpages, no more online shopping, or maybe even stop paying with credit cards since our personal information is being entered into a database with each swipe. But this world we live in has made everything so much more convenient for us. We just need to ask ourselves if it's worth the privacy risk.

Stealing: Not Always A Bad Thing...

Your friend just exposed you to Young the Giant, an American indie rock band you've never heard before. You listen to their music and you love it. You convince yourself that you need to have your own personal copy of their music. So you go to your local music store and grab their newest CD and walk out without paying for it. Wait, that doesn't sound right. You wouldn't do that (I hope...). Instead, you go home to your personal computer and download it online. But isn't that stealing too? Well, there are two sides to that argument.

John Biggs addresses this issue of piracy, the unauthorized use or copying of another's work, in his article "Avast, Me Hearties: How The Pirate Bay Changed The Way We Steal." The Pirate Bay is one of the most popular torrent sites. It is database where one can find millions of torrent files. It is essentially a search engine pointing you to a selection of links directing you to sources where you can download songs, TV shows, movies... you name it. Oh, and for no payment. Sounds appealing, right? Well, The Pirate Bay has gotten much criticism because these files often point to pirated content. However, Biggs argues that "general 'free' piracy [is] a valuable tool, even an asset, in getting the word out" (3).

Now let me direct your attention to an article by Arstechnica. The article basically states that copyright holders are getting YouTube uploaders in trouble for using copyrighted content in their videos without permission. Now, these YouTube uploaders are able to reject that dispute. Why might they reject it one might ask? It could be because they genuinely do not believe that they have stolen the content. But, I believe it is for the same reason that Biggs poses. These individuals who upload videos on YouTube that contain copyrighted content are getting the word out about such content. YouTube has become a domain where people discover new music, movies, and information every day. I personally can attest to this. When I am on YouTube watching a video, often times I may like the music used in the video, search the lyrics, and find the title and artist of the song. That right there is doing a favor to content producers by helping educate the public on their content and "get the word out."

This ultimately leads to popularity of the copyrighted content (potentially international attention like Psy's song and video "Gangnam Style" gained) and thus more people may purchase such content. Instead of copyright holders focusing on the aspect of "stealing", they ought to focus more on the positive effects of this content sharing.