The WELL: inkwell.vue.433: Steven Levy, In the (Google)Plex

#52: Gail Williams (gail) Fri 17 Feb 12 10:42

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:42:00 PST

Probably-accidentally circumventing people's personal browser privacy settings?

Yikes, that is scary. [Read entire topic]

#51: J. Eric Townsend (jet) Fri 17 Feb 12 08:47

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:47:00 PST

<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/time-make-amends-google-circumvents-privacy-settings-safari-users>

February 16, 2012 | By Peter Eckersley and Rainey Reitman and Lee Tien Google Circumvents Safari Privacy Protections - This is Why We Need Do Not Track

Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal published evidence that Google has been circumventing the privacy settings of Safari and iPhone users, tracking them on non-Google sites despite Apple's default settings, which were intended to prevent such tracking.

This tracking, discovered by Stanford researcher Jonathan Mayer, was a technical side-effecbtprobably an unintended side-effecbtof a system that Google built to pass social personalization information[...] [Read entire topic]

#50: Gail Williams (gail) Thu 16 Feb 12 13:53

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:53:00 PST

Thanks, this has been good reading! [Read entire topic]

#49: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Thu 16 Feb 12 12:14

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:14:00 PST

We want to thank Steven Levy for taking time away from his very busy schedule to discuss Google's evolution and implications for the larger, rapidly evolving Internet ecosystem. Our discussion reaches its formal end today, though it's fine to continue posting here. Thanks also to others who participated, and to our readers. [Read entire topic]

#48: suzanne stefanac (zorca) Wed 15 Feb 12 14:21

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:21:00 PST

i was once in the google offices visiting a friend who was fairly high up. she had worked at apple years before and said the biggest difference was that apple was a severely hierarchical org while google was almost anarchic. she pointed to the two offices adjacent to hers and said she actually didn't know what the inhabitants of either did. do you think this was a fair assessment of the two companies? if true, it's interesting that two such opposite strategies have paid off so well for their adherents. [Read entire topic]

#47: Ari Davidow (ari) Wed 15 Feb 12 14:01

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:01:00 PST

I just got the book out of the library before heading out for vacation, but I have to say that the first third or so (as far as I've read so far) is a fascinating story. I especially enjoy the fact that other people were coming up with a similar search methodology, but it was Brin and Page who created the search engine. In a different vein, the story of how Google invented (re-invented?) their auctions is marvellous. [Read entire topic]

#46: J. Eric Townsend (jet) Wed 15 Feb 12 13:44

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:44:00 PST

> Unlike Google, which became a search utility without a lock-in,

But with executives mucking with personal data of Google execs and troubles with the FTC. They might not have Facebook's problems, but they aren't walking on water. [Read entire topic]

#45: Steven Levy (steven) Wed 15 Feb 12 09:56

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:56:00 PST

Facebook's ambitions would definitely put it into a space where it begs regulation. Unlike Google, which became a search utility without a lock-in, Facebook would be a social utility WITH a lock-in, due to a self-sustaining critical mass. Does that sound desirable? Maybe one remedy (if you think one is called for) would be a third party identity entity, or just a mandate to share (welcome back Open Social?) [Read entire topic]

#44: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Tue 14 Feb 12 15:38

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:38:00 PST

Mashable has an infographic about Pinterest's success: http://mashable.com/2012/02/14/pinterest-daily-users-are-up-125-percent/ [Read entire topic]

#43: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Tue 14 Feb 12 05:42

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:42:00 PST

Or conversely, as some are predicting, will Facebook ultimately collapse under the weight of its ambitions, a la AOL? [Read entire topic]