In a seminar given by Dr. Robert Epstein, he discusses Google's control on our thinking and behavior through ephemeral experiences. He mentions in the beginning how in the terms of service when using Google, they are tracking your data usage even when you may not know you are even using Google services. This is a very interesting point to me as many of us use many services without reading the terms and conditions as it is too tedious. I think that this is something very mischievously clever for companies to take advantage of in order to legally instill programs in order to track and target people with their data. Thinking on this idea personally is very disturbing because that gives Google the authority to sell and supply vendors data from the users, and thus make things such as targeted advertisements. I feel that this dilemma often shows the downfall and consequences that comes with capitalism, as Google is manipulating its users in order to monopolize and grow their capita and net worth. This concept this week connects with the previous week when we had discussed monopolies, as Google is one of the largest monopolies and has such a major influence on society and thus has the power to manipulate its users mindsets and opinions. Dr. Epstein discusses how Google created Google Chrome in order to collect further data from other forms rather than just Google search, and even further created Android for phone operating to further spy on their users. All of these manipulation tactics are very alarming and invasive, and prove how controlling Google really is. The speaker discussed how Google reacted with the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped scare people and convince people to stay home in order to manipulate users to support their companies. Connecting back on the monopolization of Google, Dr. Robert Epstein discussed how Google buys companies on average more than once per week, with big companies such as Youtube and Fitbit being owned by Google. These purchases are really just Google gaining more knowledge and power over people in order to further control our thinking and behavior. This is concerning, as overall through the talk I was sort of coming to the realization of how much power and control truly has over many aspects of our lives, as many of us (including myself) don't often think that Google would be able to do. I think that Google uses this to their advantage in order to control its users through many different points of entry that it almost seems trapping and impossible to escape. I think that Google as a monopoly in the digital internet world needs to be regulated, and/or people and users need to find other resources and companies that may have different privacy and security settings in order to stop this infringement on individual privacy.
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