A fictionalized collapse of Google– too much to hope for?

Saw this post on Medium that presents a fictionalized look back from a near future where Google has collapsed as a result of several trends that are in fact visible right now. Taken together it seems improbable, but a guy can hope can’t he?

https://hackernoon.com/how-google-collapsed-b6ffa82198ee

Conversation 22 comments

  • wshwe

    23 August, 2017 - 10:31 am

    <p>You hate Google that much you want them to fail?</p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      23 August, 2017 - 11:26 am

      <blockquote><a href="#168168"><em>In reply to wshwe:</em></a></blockquote><p>I wouldn't necessarily endorse the words "hate " or "fail", but I'd like to see Google taken down a peg or two.</p>

      • skane2600

        23 August, 2017 - 11:34 am

        <blockquote><a href="#168192"><em>In reply to Chris_Kez:</em></a></blockquote><p>Going down that dark road, I'd like to see Apple, Facebook, and Uber "taken down" a bit first.</p>

        • Chris_Kez

          Premium Member
          23 August, 2017 - 11:50 am

          <blockquote><a href="#168194"><em>In reply to skane2600:</em></a></blockquote><p>Facebook for sure. Uber seems to be sabotaging themselves. I don't really have much of an issue with Apple. They (and their super-fans) can come off as really egotistical and high-handed, but they don't present the kind of threat of omnipresence that Google and Facebook do. </p>

    • Daekar

      23 August, 2017 - 9:36 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#168168"><em>In reply to wshwe:</em></a></blockquote><p>Let's say he values a free society that isn't dominated by monopolies. </p>

    • wshwe

      05 December, 2017 - 9:59 am

      <blockquote><a href="#168168"><em>In reply to wshwe:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>There is no mention here of other monopolies like AT&amp;T, Comcast and Verizon. How people get their Internet access should be just as important as the services they use.</em></blockquote>

      • Chris_Kez

        Premium Member
        05 December, 2017 - 11:09 am

        <blockquote><a href="#224390"><em>In reply to wshwe:</em></a></blockquote><p>Agreed. The ISPs are generally terrible, but this article was about Google so I guess the discussion naturally led to other services. </p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    23 August, 2017 - 11:56 am

    <p>I'm curious why you're hoping for this. Seriously. </p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      23 August, 2017 - 12:22 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#168204"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p>I think they're getting too big. They dominate online advertising, maps, mobile, online video, web browsers and search; they're not far from dominating US schools, which will ultimately accelerate adoption and use of Google products in US enterprises (where they're already seeing uptake). Now they're pushing YouTube TV to control over the top television, and Google Home to control voice-based in-home computing (and have access to all internet traffic), and Android Auto to own the in-car experience. In a few years they could completely dominate nearly every aspect of personal computing; everything you see or do via a digital connection could flow through Google. I hate to come off like a tin-foil hat person, because I'm really not, but I just don't think that level of ownership by a single entity is a good thing.</p><p>Also, I hate ads; and their entire business is built on advertising. </p><p>To be fair, I generally feel the same way about Facebook. I think they're getting too big as well, and I resent the way they manipulate the feed, their history of anti-privacy actions; and their constant push for more intrusive content and more ads. </p>

      • hrlngrv

        Premium Member
        23 August, 2017 - 2:07 pm

        <p><a href="#168211"><em>In reply to Chris_Kez:</em></a></p><p>Were you equally eager for MSFT's collapse in 2003?</p>

        • Chris_Kez

          Premium Member
          23 August, 2017 - 3:06 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#168231"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>I think Microsoft's earlier dominance– and their "embrace, extend, extinguish" philosophy– was too much. They got their comeuppance, between the DOJ and the rise of mobile and the web. I actually much prefer the culture and orientation of this "new" Microsoft.</p><p>That said, even at the height of their power in the late 1990's Microsoft did not approach the reach and influence that Google or Facebook have today. Our "digital" lives were much more circumscribed twenty years ago, before widespread internet and mobile connectivity.</p>

      • Daekar

        23 August, 2017 - 9:35 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#168211"><em>In reply to Chris_Kez:</em></a></blockquote><p>Couldn't have put it better myself. I'm surprised that any person who is vaguely aware of what is going on in the tech world isn't deeply concerned about the size and scope of these corporations. Google is the one that concerns me most, but Amazon is a close second, with Apple and Microsoft trailing. </p>

  • rameshthanikodi

    23 August, 2017 - 11:18 pm

    <p>I don't think Google needs to collapse or anything, but they absolutely need to be regulated. Things like Google Search and YouTube are monopolies and they much be held accountable to not become anti-competitive or used as a platform for illicit things. Unfortunately the government in the US loses all of their balls when it comes to putting billionaires in line and in check. The day US voters actually bother holding their reps accountable and the politicians pull their socks up is when Google's practice of selling user data to advertisers can be in check. </p><p>But again, it's America. So in other words, it will never happen. There is no hope.</p>

  • AshlyThompson

    22 November, 2017 - 3:33 am

    <p>Really cool article, and I agree with what was said, but anyway I'm sure Google will never fade away, although it has many competitors. And about Amazon. I'm one of those who search for product at Amazon first, but then I will anyway google it to compare the prices and read feedbacks. Thank you for sharing, it was interesting</p>

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    22 November, 2017 - 6:15 am

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  • Veronica Merrell

    04 December, 2017 - 9:55 pm

    <p>This is a great article, that I really enjoyed reading. Thanks for sharing.</p><p>&nbsp;<a href="http://fiveatgames.com/fnaf-world&quot; target="_blank">fnaf world</a> – <a href="https://lennyfacecopy.com/&quot; target="_blank">lenny face</a></p>

  • Tony Barrett

    05 December, 2017 - 7:15 am

    <p>Wow. Would you just want Microsoft to 'take over' if Google folded? You know, the same MS who are collecting all the same data as Google, then selling anonymized versions to 3rd parties – just like Google does. Creaming off all the data right from the core in Windows 10 like Google does in Android. You'd like Bing to become the new number one search engine – and do exactly what Google search does. Edge would replace Chrome – same as.</p><p>What you'd end up with is just another Google – and if MS folded, another company would step up to become the new 'MS'. It doesn't make *any* difference whatsoever. Google do what they do, and in some ways (not all!) we're probably better for it. Would MS do anything different? Or Facebook? Or Apple? No, probably not. Your data is the key, and you are being monetized, and it doesn't matter who's at the top of the pile – they all want it.</p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      06 December, 2017 - 10:47 am

      <blockquote><a href="#224367"><em>In reply to ghostrider:</em></a></blockquote><p>Actually what I'd hope is not that Microsoft "takes over" but rather we see some decentralization, with many companies stepping up; also less reliance on advertising. Did you actually read the article? </p>

  • PincasX

    05 December, 2017 - 11:40 am

    <p>WTF? Google has 61,000 employees and you would like to see them unemployed because you don't particularly care for the company…. That is being a world class prick. I don't care for or use any google products (seriously, it can be done without any issue) but I don't don't want see people lose their jobs because the work they do doesn't jive with my technology preferences. My ego just isn't that tied to what I use. </p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      06 December, 2017 - 10:42 am

      <blockquote><a href="#224407"><em>In reply to PincasX:</em></a></blockquote><p>If Google faltered, I'm pretty sure these people would find jobs. </p>

      • PincasX

        06 December, 2017 - 4:14 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#224705"><em>In reply to Chris_Kez:</em></a></blockquote><p>Before I though you just hadn’t thought about the ramifications of what you were suggesting but I was wrong and you have just doubled down on being asshole.</p>

  • Jules Wombat

    05 December, 2017 - 12:30 pm

    <p>uncool dude</p>

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