Dear Google,
I noticed a little “problem” with one of my widgets on my website today. Specifically the Google Friend Connect that I have been using to promote my site, as many of my fellow bloggers do. The problem? Well, it was a big, empty space where all my followers’ bright, shiny faces were supposed to show up… and didn’t.
I didn’t think of it as a big deal as I’ve been having some issues with this widget for a few months now and usually I just go and grab a new code and badda bing badda boom it corrects itself.
Not so this time. So I dug a little deeper to find out what that problem was.
This is what you had to say:
“Google Friend Connect—Friend Connect allows webmasters to add social features to their sites by embedding a few snippets of code. We’re retiring the service for all non-Blogger sites on March 1, 2012. We encourage affected sites to create a Google+ page and place a Google+ badge on their site so they can bring their community of followers to Google+ and use new features like Circles and Hangouts to keep in touch.”
Well, Google, it appears that you have me by the short hairs because I don’t have a Blogger account so you are shutting off my ability to use your code for your Google Friend Connect on my site.
You want me to have a Google+ account in order to use your service for people that want to connect to my site. Why do you want me to put people in “circles” according to how I associate with them? Are we in High School and choosing “clicks”? Please, been there, done that and HATED IT!
The program I use is just as fancy schmancy as Blogger, it just doesn’t force it’s patrons to conform to petty little locker room antics like you too.
Now before you start getting into my face about how I’m being prejudice, let me just make myself clear Google. I have many blogs that I read (including the one my daughter writes) who use your Blogger software, and I enjoy them as much as the sun coming up in the morning. I don’t judge what others choose use for their sites, unlike you Google. I like them, follow them and subscribe to them because I enjoy reading them. They are my buds… my friends.
Your “Circles” and “Hangouts”, as you call them, are nothing more than pitting one against the other according to who people are. Why do you chose to divide people based on what they write about?
Pull your perceived corporate domination out of your arse, Google. You used to be such a nice, simple search engine. People liked that about you. I understand that you need to make money just like any other company in the world and expanding the applications that you offer is a great way to do it. But to pull a simple widget from bloggers like me is not playing nice.
Shame on you Google. Go stand in the corner and think about what you have done and don’t come out until you’re ready to apologize.
Sincerely,
One very disappointed blogger
7 Responses to “You’ve Been Naughty Google. Now Go Stand in a Corner.”
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I know how painful it is to lose your GFC followers, after working so hard for it. Luckily I’m still on blogger blog and i hope such won’t happen to me. Google thinks is simple to gather blog followers.. Well like you said every business is looking for a way to expand, so is Google..
Take heart and bear the pain, we have no choice than to take Google’s bullshit…
You’re absolutely right, MayMay. I’m hoping for something else to come along to fill it’s shoes.
lots of people switched to linky, that may work for you. 🙂 stopping by from 99 exposure hop 🙂
Yeah, not Google’s brightest move. My blog is hosted by Blogger, so my GFC is safe . . . for now. I really dislike Google + and am displeased by other recent moves by Google such as getting rid of Picnik. Grrr. I hate that we’re at their mercy!
Thanks for the suggestion Tiffany!
I agree, Ada. Perhaps Google+ isn’t getting the reception that they hoped for and the only way to kick it into high gear is to do away with any threats to it. *sigh*
Well I would like to step in this conversation. I used to be a big fan of google, promoted them everywhere, as far as their search engine went. Remarkable piece of work. I really liked thier mantra, “Don’t Be Evil”. Well now that they are one of the largest in the world, they are completely the same as every other corporation out there. Data mining for gold. The web, was and still is based upon freedom. Corporations are doing everything they can to corral you and get you into their pen. I refuse to be corralled. Bravo Sandy, boot the bas*ards out. I support you one hundred percent. This internet does not revolve around any company. It revolves around good code, supplied by people who care about the quality of the internet experience. Not the pocket books of corporations who are stomping all over it.
I want to make a plug for this organization: https:/~sandyrooney~sandyrooney~sandyrooney~sandyrooney/~sandyrooney~sandyrooney~sandyrooney~sandyrooneywww.eff.org/~sandyrooney~sandyrooney~sandyrooney~sandyrooneyabout The Electronic Frontier Foundation. This group of people work hard to guarantee that quality, that freedom, of the internet experience. I donate the them every year, proud of it.
I pulled my google account before the new privacy rules went into effect. I encourage all of you to do the same.