I screwed up… big time. But I am not the only one- a lot of us have screwed up. It’s not too late to change.
Who in this life wants to be controlled? No one… except the exceptionally weak. Not a normal characteristic for entrepreneurs or pioneers- which most of us are who are currently in the online business. So before we get too carried away- let’s all back up a bit and ensure we are going down the correct path.
As you know- I like analogies… so let’s get those out of the way. How many of you have borrowed money from your parents… only to realize it was a way to give them power to criticize, question, and manipulate you?
How many brides out there wanted a simple wedding (maybe because you couldn’t afford it)… and all of the sudden your Mom said she would be happy to buy a nice cake, pay for the flowers, your dress, the reception hall, the dinners…. and so on? Then you turn around and realize it isn’t your wedding anymore… it is completely customized to your Mother.
How many of you have accepted Venture Capital money? You had a wonderful idea for a company- it was going along just fine- not quite as big as you wanted it to be- so you accepted some money. All of the sudden you are powerless and subject to their whims and ways of doing business. Doesn’t feel good- does it.
I am not saying that these types of arrangements can’t work. But I would argue that it is often the exception and not the rule. You have to be careful about anything that gives someone else leverage. When you go into these arrangements- go in with your eyes wide open- and expect the worst- be happy if you get anything better. Sometimes these types of arrangements are a necessary evil… but at least you know what to expect.
Today’s subject is about Google Analytics, Gmail, Facebook, etc. All these things are great products- but at what price? Google Analytics places javascript on your page. Do you know what this leads to- potential security breeches that can totally hack your website, Google knowing everything about your customers, administrative web pages, passwords, servers, etc. Everything! Google has never been a fan of affiliates (just read some of my other blogs)- so why are they trying to help you? My guess is to learn as much as they can and then go after the traffic directly. There’s more money in something if you cut out the middleman.
You use Gmail? Google knows all of your friends, habits, and interests. And you think they don’t monitor these things? Bull shit! Why do you think that advertisement for Target shows up a day after you told your girlfriend you were going to go clothes shopping?
Facebook is another interesting one… how many billions of dollars is in worth now? Ummm… a ton. However, as soon as recently they weren’t even profitable… how can a company be worth billions if they are not profitable?!? Because there is information that can be manipulated and turn into sales down the road. Next time you go to facebook…. Find the logout button… not that easy- is it? Most websites allow you to logout on every page of their website. Not Facebook- you have got to go searching.
What happens when you don’t log out? They track all the websites you go to, all the activity on your computer, etc. You give them this power.
We all spend a lot of time online. And we think we are free thinkers and making our own decisions online. I am warning you- if we continue to use these products and give these companies the control- you will be a puppet… and the likes of Google, Facebook, GotoMeeting (asks for unrestricted access to your computer), etc will be driving your online experiences and making your decisions for you.
I am not a conspiracy theorist- this stuff is real. I’ll admit, I have screwed up because I have bought into some of these things… but at what cost?