Google App Engine: Shh.. They’re Watching
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Yeah, you’ve probably heard that Google’s App Engine is out. A service from Google that will take your application and scale resources as required. Pretty neat. But why is Google providing such a service?
Personally, I think it’s an easy way to route you, a web viewer, through the Google system so they can stamp and track you. After all, Google’s business model is built around information right?
Think about it dudes, how much is a 1% improvement in targeting efficiency worth to Google? Millions? Billions?
Consider this one important point: Every time you hit a third party Google page containing Adsense, Google Analytics, Google Widgets, or some other Google property, Google learns a little bit more about you and your browsing habits. This leads to, among things, more targeted ads and more revenue for Google. Whether they use this information is pure speculation, but data is their game and they are obviously gaining something from offering all these services.
In case you aren’t already aware, Google inserts a cookie each time you hit their search engine. Read more here. Their TOS leaves room for stuffing a cookie from third party apps hosted on their new app engine service…
8.1. … Furthermore, by creating an Application through use of the Service, you give Google a worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such Application for the sole purpose of enabling Google to provide you with the Service in accordance with its privacy policy.
Next, they have nicely integrated their Google Accounts system with their scalable framework. So not only will Google know your browser, but they will begin to accrue information about YOU. Your name, DOB, friends network, hobbies, etc. I find this pretty cool from a marketing perspective.
In a previous post I mentioned I was concerned as a publisher, that data I send to Google may influence my ranking in Google. Particularly through my use of Adsense and Analytics. Well, the “speculated” evidence continues to mount that Google are grabbing at information, and obviously for the purposes of using it to improve it’s own service. Right now I’m trying to remove as many variables as possible to build a more predictable network, so I’ll be sure to disconnect my sites from Google where I can.
Google are a for-profit company, and I think you would have to be a little naive to believe they weren’t accumulating data to improve their bottom line.
Want to read more opinions about Google’s App Engine? Here’s a couple of other opinions from around the blogosphere:
Seocracy suggests they are incubating to steal/borrow/buy applications.
Ars technica have a more thorough summary for those interested.
