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I would much rather Google allow this and let users decide than the opposite.


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IMO It'd be the best thing Google could do, but (sadly - even though I don't like Google one bit) they don't have the courage.

Intuitively I don't like the idea of Google controlling everything but based on the reason you gave it sounds like this would be a good idea right? Customers get a better experience in the end.

Whatever Google chooses you know it will for Google's benefit and on user's disadvantage.

I would want Google to leave it alone and suggest what it thinks is correct as an option, like it used to.

Google wouldn't allow that, as that would remove one of their primary means of influencing things in their favour.

Google already makes that decision about lots of search results, usage on their services etc.

Before asking "should we" we need to answer "can we". If forcing Google to give users a choice results in them picking Google anyways then whether we should do that or not is irrelevant. Since it won't achieve it's stated purpose there's no point in forcing it.

People would be doing this no matter what choices Google make because of how universally used it is. What choice do you think Google could make which would avoid that?

You could have a robust permissions models that disallows it by default, but Google would never want that.

Agreed that is a pain. In fact if Google did it they'd likely be accused of making it less useful to purposely get people to not use it.

And Google is allowing this.

Google is within their right to do this but it's too bad.

That would require someone actually having the power to be able to make such a decision, but Google internally seems to just end up with squabbling camps that try to defend their turf.

Opt-out per site would be nice, but I doubt Google will do anything about it.

Just another example of Google trying to improve the world.

I would personally be a bit worried about the level of control this would mean giving up. But I just like to tinker. I know plenty of people for whom this is perfect.


I'd prefer Google to impose those changes on 100% of it users so it could generate outrage and incentivize people to jump ship, instead of enabling them to push it slowly and cooking everyone without them noticing.

That would require Google to care about user privacy.

Because this way YOU would have the power to decide what you see, and why, I ask, would the biggest corporation in the world not use this power themselves? They can literally change minds and public opinion using it. Imagine the implications in terms of public police, elections, even the general zeitgeist of the population about the company itself. Google will NEVER allow it's users to decide for themselves what they want to see.

Google should reconsider their position on this I think.
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