How Google Works (infographic) #google

As is almost always the case, infographics like this one manages to explain complex issues in a simple, understandable way – without making the facts any less impressive. This one outlines the mechanism that lies behind the Google search engine – which is nothing less than incredible. Watch infographics in full size

FAT Labs vs. Google

Last week here in Berlin the Transmediale Festival took place – and it was great. However, the icing on the cake is to be attributed entirely to Berlin’s own FAT Labs art activism group (Free Art & Technology), who not only had an intriguing stall at the festival itself (titled ‘Fuck Google‘), but also put […]

“Google Xistence: Because life is too short for social interaction”

About a week ago, I ran across a hilarious prank called Google Xistence that offered people to take care of the time consuming social media “stuff” by sending out randomly generated status updates and tweets for you, so that you would have time to get some work done. The site even bolstered the brilliant slogan: […]

Hiding from Google

From Slashdot: “Google offers Web users a simple trade-off: Let the search giant track a substantial portion of your comings and goings around the Web, and it will offer you a free, superior online experience. Now independent security researcher Moxie Marlinspike is making Web users a counter-offer: take Google’s giveaways and keep your privacy too. […]

We never really question the privacy issue when signing up for another Google-service, do we? #google #privacy

Over at Slashdot, a user named hubert.lepicki has posted the following query, that has sparked an interesting discussion that is well worth checking out. We never really question these issues when signing up for another google-service, do we? I use Google all the time. I keep two GMail tabs open when I’m online (one is […]

“Click-fraud” civil disobedience campaign

I love civil disobedience campaigns like this one (found at Slashdot): “In response to Google’s recently announced plans to expand the tracking of users, the international anti-advertising magazine Adbusters proposes that we collectively embark on a civil disobedience campaign of intentional, automated ‘click fraud’ in order to undermine Google’s advertising program in order to force […]

Behavioral Targeting Ad Program

It fills me with intimidation to read about Google’s new initiative; the behavioral targeting ad program. Am I the only one who thinks about 1984 and big brother in general when online habits are so thoroughly mapped and exploited? EFF (Electronica Frontier Foundation) writes: “Today Google launched its behavioral targeting ad program, which it calls […]

The impact of ‘free’

Chris Anderson, chief editor of Wired magazine, has become the leading proponent of ‘the economics of giving it away’ – ie. free service as a business model, as used by all major web actors right now – from Google to Skype. After writing the bestseller ‘The Long Tail‘, which I’ve read – it’s really interesting […]

Airwaves are finally voted free by FCC

From the Google/FreeTheAirwaves newsletter: “We did it. On November 4, 2008, by a vote of 5-0, the Federal Communications Commission agreed to free the unused TV airwaves for unlicensed public use. This is a tremendous victory for Internet users. Thank you for being one of the more than 20,000 who signed the Free the Airwaves […]