This is a good point. But Google's services make a person a more powerful agent compared to others: one can navigate quicker, find better services and access information faster and more accurately.
So yes, there is a trade off. But humans have been making trade-offs forever - civilization itself is one big compromise. Domesticating cattle meant human could not move as quickly and as fast as they used to. But they lived better and longer.
I don't see why information trade-offs are somehow different.
Re:Google’s become an obsessive stalker
by the_other on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @01:13PM
(#12499120)
> This is a good point. But Google's services make a person a more powerful agent compared to others: one can navigate quicker, find better services and access information faster and more accurately.
Google could provide most of those services without tracking individuals.
Re:Google’s become an obsessive stalker
by zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC on Wednesday September 14, 2016 @02:20PM
(#12499808)
> I don't see why information trade-offs are somehow different.
Because it is about power. We, as humanity, have plenty of experience with power trade-offs. We have so much experience with it that we have names for structures with centralized power, like "monarchy" and "dictatorship". Our experience with those trade-offs hasn't been particularly good. Maybe we should learn something from that.
Once you have all the relevant information about someone or some system, then you essentially control them. If I know everything about you, how can you ever hope to have an even footing with me?
[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole_information_paradox