If Google was Iran, wouldn’t we be scared right now?
Some days you think that Google is taking the piss on such as large scale that its primary goal is an entry for humor in the Guiness Book of Records. Then other days, the scope and might of Google is scary.
The latest Google everywhere news is plans to establish a Google Navy, floating data centers sitting offshore, harnessing wave power as they menace US cities. Earlier this month, it was Google in space with a Google labeled rocket (I’m not making this up) and exclusive commercial rights to all pictures from the latest GeoEye satellite. There’s talk that Google may acquire GeoEye, so Google would have the ability to make its own space hardware. Google already has an exclusive agreement with Digital Globe, GeoEye’s main competitor, so Google has high grade US commercial satellite imagery services nearly entirely to itself. Google is a partner in a move to bring Internet access to remote places from space, and has been named a partner on a number of undersea cable projects.
Google on your mobile phone isn’t just an Android handset or Apple distribution deal away either. Google is considering teaming up with Space Data to create a barrage of hot air balloons that will offer cell phone access and data from 20 miles up. A Google airforce.
Where do we start on the desktop? Google Chrome delivers a great browsing experience and is taking market share from established competitors. A near monopoly in search and search advertising sees the World Association of Newspapers among others calling for a stop to the Google/ Yahoo deal. The rest doesn’t need repeating, because chances are nearly every person reading this post would have used Google products or services this week, today, or even in the last hour.
Google is everywhere. Google knows everything. The humor of a Google Navy, Google Airforce, and Google in Space aside, what if Google decided to be evil?
Imagine if Google was Iran. Lets see: access to intercontinental ballistic missiles (aka rockets) and technology to develop space weapons: check. Considering putting ships off major American cities: check. Considering a constant presence in the sky above the United States: check. Ability to disrupt world communications and destroy stock markets: check (see what happened with United Airlines for a quick taste of what’s possible). Brilliant use of propaganda: check. Wouldn’t we be scared?
Anti-trust issues will be the main focus on Google in the coming years as Google’s dominance crawls to 100%, but the other things are worthy of watching as well. There has never been another company like Google in the history of mankind, and its ambition knows no bounds. One day we may just well wake up to find Google running the world, although some may argue now that they already do ?
(img credit: Deep Jive Interests)
