Larry Page wants you to stop worrying and let him fix the world

Op-ed: Google CEO's view on what the world needs may not match government's—or yours.

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[Blacken00100]

It might help Larry Page's desire to make a Larry Page world if Larry Page didn't demonstrate at every opportunity that Larry Page shouldn't be trusted with string, let alone political policies that affect people who aren't Larry Page.

 

[kirby14]

While I agree with a more libertarian society, I don't know anyone that would want their test results posted to Google+.

 

[kperrier]

Sounds like Larry wants to be dictator. I vote no.

 

[Cogmatix]

Larry Page appears to have spent a few too many days surrounded by people that are either paid to agree with him or hoping to become so.

 

[entee]

Alternatively they could pay their taxes, and donate lobbying funds to charity and maybe the world needs a little less fixing.

 

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Given Google's taste for euthanizing products that don't meet their expectations, citizens of the googleverse should keep a close eye on their pagerank at all times...

 

[JJoelW]

Sue me, but I actually found what he said hopeful, if still unrealistic at this point. Page genuinely seems to care only about the advancement of technology. Given his position as CEO of one of the largest forces in computing technology today, that doesn't seem like such a bad thing.

There's a difference between Page's stance and what seems implied here. Some of these comments read like the article said Page was running for Congress or something.

 

[y*!|$7v0Qn]

It's also possible that the reason people don't want their medical records to be public record is that their medical history is nobody else's god damned business. Does Larry Page seriously not comprehend that people might like to have some portion of their lives not compiled into a database so they can be more efficiently spammed?

 

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

kirby14[/url]"d7z1vdf]While I agree with a more libertarian society, I don't know anyone that would want their test results posted to Google+.

Given Page's enthusiasm for all things panopticon(and Google's considerable technical prowess in the area of pervasive surveillance), it's hard to say that his vision is really 'libertarian' in anything much like the traditional sense. It happens to overlap in a few areas of 'the state should get out of my face and let me do what I want'; but he appears to want the state out of his face so that legacy governance can be replaced by private sector technocratic governance, not so that it will be removed.

 

[MrPibbles]

Thanks, Larry, but if I had to cede power to a single person I'd prefer it to be somebody who has operated in the real world for their entire life. You know, the kind of person with bills, a full-time job, a car they drive themselves, a house that lacks a helipad but requires regular maintenance by the owner...that sort of thing.

Another rich guy who feels that they have some special insight as to all the world's ills? Not so much.

 

[Spazmodica]

Hey, I appreciate the efficient search engine and the free email service, but to be honest, I don't think I have quite the same faith in technology as Larry does. He seems to be saying, "Don't worry about a thing, let the computers solve all of our problems," but unfortunately there will be many unintended consequences along the way to this amazing future he's envisioning. We can't even exterminate malicious hackers and botnets, what are we going to do when the machines themselves start trying to take over?

 

[neil_w]

Mat Honan's satirical piece in Wired really caught the gist properly. Google's views on privacy are certainly frightening. They cast themselves as benevolent data dictator, which might even have a shred of plausibility if they didn't also happen to be a ruthless for-profit company.

 

[ZhanMing057]

One day we will all be forced to register Google+, those with fewer friends than 200 executed by firing squad!

Power corrupts, no matter if it's in the hands of the Senate or Mr.Page.

 

[Asinar]

CQLanik[/url]":i9itl6p3]It's also possible that the reason people don't want their medical records to be public record is that their medical history is nobody else's god damned business.

For a few more, concrete examples: employeers searching the database to determine which current and prospective employees are likely to require medical leave (and get rid of them). Searching the database as part of the dating process.

You can't legislate yourself out of people misusing information. People will find all kinds of creative ways to exploit the information to their advantage. Trying to enforce said laws is very difficult.

 

[jdale]

Asinar[/url]":166a54i9]

CQLanik[/url]":166a54i9]It's also possible that the reason people don't want their medical records to be public record is that their medical history is nobody else's god damned business.

For a few more, concrete examples: employeers searching the database to determine which current and prospective employees are likely to require medical leave (and get rid of them). Searching the database as part of the dating process.

You can't legislate yourself out of people misusing information. People will find all kinds of creative ways to exploit the information to their advantage. Trying to enforce said laws is very difficult.

Some medical conditions are also simply embarrassing, like incontinence or erectile dysfunction or STDs. No one wants something like that to be the first thing that comes up when they are Googled.

 

[nikomis]

ZhanMing057[/url]":3rm92d4r]One day we will all be forced to register Google+, those with fewer friends than 200 executed by firing squad!

Cascade failure, executed people no longer count as friends, thus causing even more people to be executed...

 

[WaveRunner]

Larry though just because he was rich he had power or influence? What a whiner.

 

[Asinar]

jdale[/url]":1trsmeb9]Some medical conditions are also simply embarrassing, like incontinence or erectile dysfunction or STDs. No one wants something like that to be the first thing that comes up when they are Googled.

That last one, STDs, is particularly problematic. If diagnoses became public record, people would avoid/defer health services to avoid having it on their record. There is strong precedent for that in the (mental) health world.

 

[Deleted member 129457]

Dear Mr. Page:

Every single person on earth believes that things would run a heckuva lot better if they were in charge and all their ideas adopted by everyone else. You are not a unique snowflake.

Fortunately (or not), most of us have neither the platform nor the hubris required to make such a public spectacle.

I might also suggest you get out and rub elbows with some of the "normal" people. There are a variety of reasons that people don't trust Google or Microsoft or the government that aren't tin-foil hat conspiracy theories. You're either surrounded by too many yes-people or you're becoming delusional.

Yes, undoubtedly, there will be a day when everyone beats down someone's door to have their mind loaded up into the cloud or whatever it will be called then. But it's unclear whether either you or Google will be around when that paradigm shift occurs.

Sincerely,
Just a normal guy who feels the entire world would be a better place if we did things my way but knows better because I grew up.

 

[Scorp1us]

Asinar[/url]":30p6zgaz]

jdale[/url]":30p6zgaz]Some medical conditions are also simply embarrassing, like incontinence or erectile dysfunction or STDs. No one wants something like that to be the first thing that comes up when they are Googled.

That last one, STDs, is particularly problematic. If diagnoses became public record, people would avoid/defer health services to avoid having it on their record. There is strong precedent for that in the (mental) health world.

You tested positive for STDs, all your new [male/female - depends on preference setting] new contacts of the last 6 months will be automatically notified.

 

[Deleted member 330960]

 

[aficionado]

Page isn't really making me want to change. Corporations are just the reverse of the government obverse coin. Duopoly is the problem.

 

[avant]

"I have successfully privatized world peace!"

No Larry. You are not Tony Stark.

 

[deviladv]

In a weird warped way, there is a sort of logic to what he's saying. I'm sure John doe does not want posted to his Google+, facebook, or twitter account (or anything else) the test results to see if he has chronic explosive flatulence. But why? Simply because we do not trust others to responsibly deal with that information. John gets treatment for his issue, but you won't give him a job just because he smells? John could be a brilliant coder, but his options are limited because someone else is a small thinker. And it should not prevent him from getting health care at all (pre existing condition rules are something spawn from the 9th level of hell). On some level, like that, Larry makes total sense!

Where this breaks down is, for example, what if John Doe was once Jane Smith. Transgender people are targets for a lot of violence in the US. Outing someone who doesn't want to be outed can be life threatening. John Doe is interested in being alive more than Google posting details of his operation and laws, while they can do good, only go so far. It should be illegal for someone to deny you a job on the basis of being gay. That won't stop some people, however. Women are denied jobs every day because they let people know that they are pregnant or plan on being pregnant. In the US, it's illegal to ask such questions like that but it still happens.

We live in a world where there are varying degrees of judgement based on information that we put out there. We want people to judge us fairly, but we fear people's biases and their own fears about information which may be irrelevant. It's very hard for government to draw lines. Drawing lines around pre-existing conditions only fixes the problem with insurance companies. It does not fix the issues with violence, prejudice, or just plain stupidity over information that can be used against you incorrectly.

I want to live in Larry's world where I can look up everyone's opinion and deem it right or wrong in my opinion, but still make sure that person has a livelihood and a place to live and can love who they want to love. Human beings will see warp engines before they see a place like that.

 

[Warhawke]

Page is both right and wrong in the same breath. A more libertarian, tech-friendly economy is certainly good - historically speaking - for the rapid development of technology and society. Removing some of the artificial barriers created by government is an important goal. However, technology for technology's sake is not the end-game. Technology, like government, has the sole purpose of serving mankind and making our lives better by its presence. Promoting technology may be more important than promoting politics beholden to corporate interests. Promoting technology over fundamental civil liberties like privacy and free speech crosses a very thick, very important line. At that point, technology serves its own purpose (or the purpose of its creators) and not the end-users.

 

[Scorp1us]

If Larry wants to empower people, how about codifying all government regulations into a governmental operating system so that us plebes can have total transparency. Then we can talk...

 

[Haravikk]

He's wrong on the medical history issue; in the UK you don't need health insurance companies to get treatment, and yet people here are just as sensitive about keeping their medical history private.

The last thing I would want is for people to start texting me about a test result I got, before I've had a chance to see it myself. Or for me to start receiving ads tailored to my current state of health! "Depressed? Check out Amazon's current deals of lengths of rope!"

No thanks Larry Page; it's amazing how quickly his self-indulgence turned to pseudo-facism that only highlights Google's commitment to monetising personal secrets.

 

[Haravikk]

*Double post, sorry!*

 

[schizomilkman]

It was not impossible to build Googtopia at the bottom of the sea. It was impossible to build it anywhere else.

 

[Solidstate89]

You go ahead and post your medical records for the world to see Mr. Page.

Practice what you preach, after all.

 

[Asinar]

Scorp1us[/url]":3c3c02le]

Asinar[/url]":3c3c02le]

jdale[/url]":3c3c02le]Some medical conditions are also simply embarrassing, like incontinence or erectile dysfunction or STDs. No one wants something like that to be the first thing that comes up when they are Googled.

That last one, STDs, is particularly problematic. If diagnoses became public record, people would avoid/defer health services to avoid having it on their record. There is strong precedent for that in the (mental) health world.

You tested positive for STDs, all your new [male/female - depends on preference setting] new contacts of the last 6 months will be automatically notified.

Not sure if you are satirical or not.

Testing someone for an STD requires that person to volunteer for testing (unless you're going to force everyone, under penalty of law, to submit to regular STD screening). My complaint is that once you make someone's medical history on that public, people will choose to forgo testing to keep it out of their public record (for fear of embarrassment). That not only means that the public doesn't know, but that person will not be able to be treated for their condition and will continue to spread it. In fact, we already have that problem. Let's not make it even worse.

 

[sviola]

fragile[/url]":2piyb95g]Perhaps if people did post their medical results it would encourage them to live a healthier, fitter lifestyle ?

This is an actual post from me a couple of months ago.....

'Just got back from the docs, weight 212 (down from 257), BP - very good (from way too high), cholesterol - low (down from very high) and blood chemistry 'perfect' (from utter cluster). The last year has been a heck of a journey....'

That may be the case for some people, but many moe suffer from health issues that can't be easily treated by living a healthy life.

 

[Deleted member 174040]

Ars should run Wireds take on the Google Island.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/05/ ... le-island/

The soft, froggy voice startled me. I turned around to face an approaching figure. It was Larry Page, naked, save for a pair of eyeglasses.

“Welcome to Google Island. I hope my nudity doesn’t bother you. We’re completely committed to openness here. Search history. Health data. Your genetic blueprint. One way to express this is by removing clothes to foster experimentation. It’s something I learned at Burning Man,” he said. “Here, drink this. You’re slightly dehydrated, and your blood sugar is low. This is a blend of water, electrolytes, and glucose.”

I was taken aback. “How did you…” I began, but he was already answering me before I could finish my question.

“As soon as you hit Google’s territorial waters, you came under our jurisdiction, our terms of service. Our laws–or lack thereof–apply here. By boarding our self-driving boat you granted us the right to all feedback you provide during your journey. This includes the chemical composition of your sweat. Remember when I said at I/O that maybe we should set aside some small part of the world where people could experiment freely and examine the effects? I wasn’t speaking theoretically. This place exists. We built it.”

I was thirsty, so I drank the electrolyte solution down. “This is delicious,” I replied.

“I know,” he replied. “It also has thousands of micro sensors which are now swarming through your blood stream.”

“What… ” I stammered.

“Your prostate is enlarged. Let’s go hangout now. There’s some really great music I’d like to recommend to you.”

 

[NicoleC]

Mr. Page,

The more I see you do things with my data, the LESS likely I am to want to give it to you. We have trust issues, and I'm not sure I want to continue this relationship.

It's not you, it's *me*.

 

[jefforange89]

Wow. Megalomaniac much?

 

[kperrier]

I think Larry thinks like George Bernard Shaw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WBRjU9P5eo

I, for one, will resist our aspirational Progressive overlords.

 

[ivantod]

I'd prefer to keep worrying about my own things and you Larry, feel free to worry about yours.

I'd like to keep them separate, to be honest, since you already know too much about me and I'm not really inclined to give you more. But don't feel slighted, it's not just you. I don't give anything to Facebook either, nor to the other 13 trackers that Ghostery is currently reporting on this very page! It's just that I'm, you know, kind of a private person, if you don't mind?