Google No Longer Satan?

In certain circles, Brian is famous for his opinion that Google is Satan… or at least the Antichrist.

Even though we jokingly chide him about it, Brian’s criticism isn’t all that uncommon. Many have expressed concerns about privacy issues related to the incredible volume of data Google warehouses on its users’ searches. Couple that data with the personal information streaming through gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Android, etc. and the issue becomes clear: Google could practically know everything about everybody.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re fans of behavioral profiling; but the Google knowledge base—or more specifically who has access to it and what they choose to do with it—is a little scary.

But move over Google…

As widely reported in the news yesterday and today, Facebook is launching a universal “like” button that can be used anywhere on the internet. Sounds cool at face value, but in an AdAge article Ian Schafer of Deep Focus calls it for what it is: “Facebook potentially could power an all-knowing behavioral targeting platform the likes of which we’ve never seen before.”

Hmm… sorry, Google, looks like there’s a new frontrunner for “Way Too Powerful Corporation of The Year.”

-Sarah, Emogen marketer