Google CEO Confirms Social Integration

siliconbits writes "As we get closer to — and hear more about — the launch of Google's upcoming social product, Google Me, the less and less it seems like a stand-alone social network and more like an interweaving of social connections into its existing offerings. It sounds eerily similar to those 'social' search results that have lingered at the bottom of the results page and third-party extras like Rapportive, the Gmail add-on that gives you the social networking lowdown on your email contacts."

Comments

Re:Uh, no thanks.

[RazorSharp]

I think what the parent is complaining about isn't the social nature of the internet, but how it's become focussed on social frivolities rather than a method of exchanging information. When the www came about everyone thought that this generation of kids would turn out to be the most intelligent in history because information would be easily accessible and free. But the exact opposite is true. Despite the fact that the www hosts more knowledge than any library on earth, most people use it for social networking, porn, and videos of people acting like jackasses. It turned out to be just as big a disappointment as TV. Lets face it, even the Discovery channel only provides cursory information concerning the topics they explore. . .sort of like Wikipedia.

Google Wave's failure is a prime example of this problem. A collaboration product is what one would think the internet is ideally suited for, especially one as well designed and innovative as Wave (I use Wave for a couple projects, it's really an amazing product). But not enough people used it to make it worth Google's while.

I'll agree that the internet is inherently social--it's a network. Even Gopher was social. But there's a clear distinction between social frivolities (omg! I got my hair died today! Everyone check out my new pix!) and social productivity. More and more people are using the internet as a distraction than as a tool. Sure, most people here on Slashdot use it for both, but the more the internet becomes primarily a "social networking device" the more it reminds me of Fahrenheit 451.

Re:Mixed Feelings

[digitalsushi]

A man of your convictions would be more easily allayed were he to simply discard all your personal relationships. Then the shadow facebook looms above your world would fade.

Or I mean, you could get over yourself. Either way, just sayin'.