I Love Google.
I have gone back and forth in my head about utilizing the vast array of products and services that Google offers. In particular their AdSense and AdWords services. But it just seems too sketchy... too bizarre. They are the least transparent and disrespectful entity, in terms of how they treat their clients, partners, and their share holders (aka owners).
Here is a classic example...
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/AdWords/thread?tid=322156ec28e83062&hl=en
This side of Google is unknown too many of the people who make up the very population that I reference as applicable. Google has done and continues to do an amazingly effective job of keeping this kind of stuff under wraps. They some how have managed to silence their victims... well most of them.
I must admit, that I too, would most likely still be oblivious to this "evil" side of Google if I had not experienced the terror that they can cause first hand. I worked for a company that was a victim of Google's dark side. I lost my job. The company no longer exists. Maybe one day I will share that story.
But not today.
Visited by Google Dark
I am very cautious when it comes to uncertainty and money. I like knowing the factors and environment hazards that pose a threat to my efforts. Google hides the risk taken on by advertisers, and partners. No one really knows what the risk or probability of being the victim of the ever lurking Google Dark or how often Google Dark will need to feed.
Much like the big screen paints the oblivious human race in popular vampire movies, bloggers, publishers, small businesses who use Gmail, Gdocs, Advertising Services and the like go about their every day business singing the praises of Google. They are 100% oblivious to the stealth and stark beast named Google Dark.
Google has this bizarre tendency to ignore people who get trampled. These victims, despite their best efforts, are utterly clueless to of what exactly happened. The after math of a "Google Dark Attack" results in the destruction of the victim's means to make a living. Even worst they go to great lengths to hide the existence of these risks from their partners and clients.
This may seem a bit odd to folks who don't depend on Google to make a living. But imagine if all of a sudden, and with zero notice, the power goes off. You at first think it is just a normal outage. Then some time goes by... still no power. You call the power company. They redirect your call to a automated msg saying that you no longer are allowed to use their services. You don't know why. You ask a neighbor or someone else for assistance but they simply are in disbelief and look at you with suspicion and question. You have zero answers, zero options, zero rights.
I will say that despite their behavior that clearly shows they must not care... I know they do.... I know in my heart of hearts that they care and don't want to have to do whatever it is they are doing. They simply refuse to share. They will say that click fraud or something like that is a reason that people lose their AdSense accounts and I am sure that is true ...
********(on a side note I must admit that I really underestimated the reality of click fraud and affiliate fraud - I was baffled when I was recently exposed to some black hat culture - It is absolutely amazing what lengths folks will go to in order to cheat for a short term profit - honestly it is way easier to just do it the right way) ***********
...and they also say that certain marketing gimmicks like "Google Tree" or whatever else is out there is a reason that they cancel AdWords accounts. But there is a lot of "process" that is flat out wrong and Google carries out these processes and decisions with no regard to the ones wrongfully harmed.
They offer great and effective services and are a huge lift to the human race. They are innovative and do all they can to be as useful and helpful as they can to the outside user. There is no doubt about it. They create a world that has more value then the alternative world that exists with out them.
But if you take a look at how they treat those that feed Google... seriously... with a tear in my eye.... I am completely and 100% genuine when I say... you simply don't recognize them.
Like watching a Mother abandoned their child... you just can't believe it, you almost don't believe it, you can't understand it, and they refuse to explain it.
If I could change one thing in this world... It may not be this aspect of them... maybe it would be the world hunger issue... wars... some environmental issue... but I would be liar if I said that changing the behavior of "Google Dark" would not be a tempting choice for me. As selfish as that may sound, it is the truth.
I have read so many horror stories about publishers losing access to some tool they depended on.... then... silence. Google will have nothing to say.
99% of Google is perhaps the best thing that this planet has created in the last 2000 or so years. Google is, at least in my eyes, the prized mantle piece decorating Humanity's living room.
I think they may be the only company that (as stupid as it sounds) I care about. Like I care about a friend or a family member. Like a kid cares about their favorite baseball player.
"Say it ain't so... Joe. Please... say it ain't so."
One idea that really worries me, one idea that I hope they think about...
What are they going to do when someone offers a solution?
I of course welcome Google or anyone to give their input. If you think this is all BS or the like, then I encourage you to spend one hour searching for ruined lives, visit the AdWords Forums, and the AdSense Forums. They are censored some what, but you can find the horror stories that I reference. Also just google what you would google if disaster struck you.
