Ongoing Series: Googlephobia

In this series of essays, we explore examples of how Google has become, because of its size and its success, the object of a special kind of hysteria once reserved exclusively for Microsoft.  Our point is certainly not that Google should be immune from criticism.  Indeed, healthy criticism of corporate actions plays a vital role in the free market by disciplining corporate policies and behavior—often thus providing an effective alternative to government regulation.

But fears of Google’s supposed dominance of the Internet are clouding rational discussion of the policy issues raised by Google, its innovations and its success.  All too often, the latest innovative feature from Google is greeted not by applause, but by “Chickenlittle-ism” from bloggers who shoot from the hip without carefully investigating the technology they complain about.  We try to examine these allegations carefully and explore what’s really going on.

Here’s the series thus far (in reverse chronological order):