Comments on: Google Poaching Beacon Partners For “Universal Activity Stream” http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/ Startup and Technology News Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:33:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: The secret to mobile social networking « Making Financial Aliyah http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-2002106 The secret to mobile social networking « Making Financial Aliyah Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:41:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-2002106 [...] In-Text Advertising has become (almost) entirely acceptable. Google’s Open Social platform will also publish such activity streams. As Dave McClure put it succinctly, “people who are going bananas over Beacon should [...] [...] In-Text Advertising has become (almost) entirely acceptable. Google’s Open Social platform will also publish such activity streams. As Dave McClure put it succinctly, “people who are going bananas over Beacon should [...]

]]> By: Kelly’s World- A View into the mind of Uber Geek, Kelly Adams » Blog Archive » Why I don’t like social network sites like Facebook…or “free” email services like GMail http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1898107 Kelly’s World- A View into the mind of Uber Geek, Kelly Adams » Blog Archive » Why I don’t like social network sites like Facebook…or “free” email services like GMail Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:34:27 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1898107 [...] Earlier this week, Robert Scoble encountered the “dark” side of the social networking phenomena. Robert was running a script to extract his list of “friends” from Facebook so he could use that information for his own purposes. One might think that this would be quite acceptable: the data belongs to Robert, right? Wrong. It belongs to Facebook. They choose how and if he can access his own data because, quite frankly, it isn’t his any more. It now belongs to them. His friends and acquaintances are a commodity they sell, and as such the data is a valuable resource that they don’t want to make easily accessible to competitors. To be honest, the data you hand over to Facebook and GMail is the only thing they have to sell/leverage to make money, and believe me that these companies are not running their service out of the goodness of their heart. Monetizing your personal data is Job #1 for these social networking services, and we are only beginning to see how this will be accomplished. [...] [...] Earlier this week, Robert Scoble encountered the “dark” side of the social networking phenomena. Robert was running a script to extract his list of “friends” from Facebook so he could use that information for his own purposes. One might think that this would be quite acceptable: the data belongs to Robert, right? Wrong. It belongs to Facebook. They choose how and if he can access his own data because, quite frankly, it isn’t his any more. It now belongs to them. His friends and acquaintances are a commodity they sell, and as such the data is a valuable resource that they don’t want to make easily accessible to competitors. To be honest, the data you hand over to Facebook and GMail is the only thing they have to sell/leverage to make money, and believe me that these companies are not running their service out of the goodness of their heart. Monetizing your personal data is Job #1 for these social networking services, and we are only beginning to see how this will be accomplished. [...]

]]> By: gman http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1861062 gman Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:11:02 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1861062 If I understand correctly, participating Beacon sites send ALL transactions to facebook and then if you opt out, facebook doesn't post those transactions. What I objected to is these participating sites should NOT be sending my transactions without my permission PERIOD!!! Right now, even if I opt out, facebook still gets the list of my transactions. That is JUST WRONG!!!! Overstock.com (a retail firm) was sending transations. Would you want your Amazon purchases sent? How about your walmart, walgreens, safeway purchases? If they switched the program so I could put out at the source then I've have no problem with it since I would opt out and my transations would not be send. As it is I hope someone takes them to court over it. If I understand correctly, participating Beacon sites send ALL transactions to facebook and then if you opt out, facebook doesn’t post those transactions.

What I objected to is these participating sites should NOT be sending my transactions without my permission PERIOD!!! Right now, even if I opt out, facebook still gets the list of my transactions. That is JUST WRONG!!!! Overstock.com (a retail firm) was sending transations. Would you want your Amazon purchases sent? How about your walmart, walgreens, safeway purchases?

If they switched the program so I could put out at the source then I’ve have no problem with it since I would opt out and my transations would not be send. As it is I hope someone takes them to court over it.

]]> By: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA « Daily Marauder http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1859793 ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA « Daily Marauder Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:19:13 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1859793 [...] Zuckerberg had to apologize for the way it was initially rolled out because of privacy concerns. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream [...] [...] Zuckerberg had to apologize for the way it was initially rolled out because of privacy concerns. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream [...]

]]> By: Jordan Mitchell http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1858853 Jordan Mitchell Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:58:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1858853 "Partner sites should not send any information to Google’s servers until the person in question has given tacit approval to do so." Uhhh, Google is already sending information about your browsing activity back to its servers without tacit approval. Every AdSense ad unit (and soon DoubleClick ad unit) is a beacon for Google. Maybe the only news here is that they're trying to create some end-user value out of it. “Partner sites should not send any information to Google’s servers until the person in question has given tacit approval to do so.”

Uhhh, Google is already sending information about your browsing activity back to its servers without tacit approval. Every AdSense ad unit (and soon DoubleClick ad unit) is a beacon for Google.

Maybe the only news here is that they’re trying to create some end-user value out of it.

]]> By: I Am Not Posting To Spam My Blog http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857970 I Am Not Posting To Spam My Blog Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:38:04 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857970 "Universal activity streams"? How can people abuse the language of Shakespeare* to produce such meaningless drivel? If you hear the words 'universal activity stream' in isolation it doesn't give you the faintest idea of what it means. That's what words are meant to do - convey meaning. Further proof that any large company inevitably tends towards bureaucracy and all that entails, including the tendency to develop their own version of English that means nothing to anyone outside it. For Google, a company that still likes to present itself as a two-geeks-and-a-garage operation at heart, this is very bad news. *For the benefit of TC's mainly Silicon Valley audience, William Shakespeare was a guy who lived a couple of centuries before California was colonised and was kind of like a screenwriter, only he didn't go on strike. He wrote the original scripts for well known movies like Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo and Juliet and teen comedy Ten Things I Hate About You. “Universal activity streams”? How can people abuse the language of Shakespeare* to produce such meaningless drivel? If you hear the words ‘universal activity stream’ in isolation it doesn’t give you the faintest idea of what it means. That’s what words are meant to do - convey meaning.

Further proof that any large company inevitably tends towards bureaucracy and all that entails, including the tendency to develop their own version of English that means nothing to anyone outside it. For Google, a company that still likes to present itself as a two-geeks-and-a-garage operation at heart, this is very bad news.

*For the benefit of TC’s mainly Silicon Valley audience, William Shakespeare was a guy who lived a couple of centuries before California was colonised and was kind of like a screenwriter, only he didn’t go on strike. He wrote the original scripts for well known movies like Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo and Juliet and teen comedy Ten Things I Hate About You.

]]> By: Ballmer http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857159 Ballmer Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:13:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857159 Google is just a bunch of theives and conmen kids! fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com Google is just a bunch of theives and conmen kids!
fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com

]]> By: The Fake Angela Hayden http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857059 The Fake Angela Hayden Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:27:25 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857059 Soon I'm going to get my friend the Fake Chris R. and we're going to own the market on fake personalizations of people who comment worthlessly on every thread. Count it. Sincerely, The Fake Angela Hayden ART GODDESS Soon I’m going to get my friend the Fake Chris R. and we’re going to own the market on fake personalizations of people who comment worthlessly on every thread.

Count it.

Sincerely,
The Fake Angela Hayden
ART GODDESS

]]> By: Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857014 Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins Thu, 20 Dec 2007 03:03:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1857014 @Ryan and @Chris Saad: Exactly. The evil isn't in the tracking. We've been doing that pre-Web 1.0. Heck, if you wanna get technical, there was much more precise tracking of user activity during the BBS days and the days of Telnet and non-Web based services. It is a matter of value and permission. If you know your stuff is being tracked and what the promise of where that info will end up, you'll have a much more happy end-user. By that same token, as I've said often, the user's ROI is an important factor to pay attention to. If the user is getting all kinds of usability out of sharing information, you'll see less uproar from them. Compare the non-existent uproar over Google saving your browsing history for several years vs. Facebook just repeating what you did five minutes ago to your Facebook friends. Not much difference in terms of invading privacy, big difference in terms of how the public reacted. @Ryan and @Chris Saad: Exactly.

The evil isn’t in the tracking. We’ve been doing that pre-Web 1.0. Heck, if you wanna get technical, there was much more precise tracking of user activity during the BBS days and the days of Telnet and non-Web based services.

It is a matter of value and permission. If you know your stuff is being tracked and what the promise of where that info will end up, you’ll have a much more happy end-user. By that same token, as I’ve said often, the user’s ROI is an important factor to pay attention to.

If the user is getting all kinds of usability out of sharing information, you’ll see less uproar from them. Compare the non-existent uproar over Google saving your browsing history for several years vs. Facebook just repeating what you did five minutes ago to your Facebook friends.

Not much difference in terms of invading privacy, big difference in terms of how the public reacted.

]]> By: Chris Saad http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856938 Chris Saad Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:38:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856938 @Ryan - Privacy is just a form of control, and as you say Ryan - they DO want control. Control of what is published, and one day they will wish they had control of what's stored so they can move it to the next hot social network. @Ryan - Privacy is just a form of control, and as you say Ryan - they DO want control. Control of what is published, and one day they will wish they had control of what’s stored so they can move it to the next hot social network.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856862 Ryan Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:12:13 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856862 Facebook had to apologize not for the tracking of the data, but for the unapproved disclosure of that data to friends. I didn't hear any of my friends up in arms over Beacon because "they're tracking me," they were upset because "I don't want my web activity blasted to all of my friends." Privacy isn't as important to the layman as us techies... and the New York Times writers. Sad, but true. Facebook had to apologize not for the tracking of the data, but for the unapproved disclosure of that data to friends. I didn’t hear any of my friends up in arms over Beacon because “they’re tracking me,” they were upset because “I don’t want my web activity blasted to all of my friends.”

Privacy isn’t as important to the layman as us techies… and the New York Times writers. Sad, but true.

]]> By: AnonTroll http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856832 AnonTroll Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:02:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856832 @1 Nick I have been saying that all along, do no evil my ass. I don't begrudge them being evil but don't be a freaking hypocrite about it. @1 Nick

I have been saying that all along, do no evil my ass. I don’t begrudge them being evil but don’t be a freaking hypocrite about it.

]]> By: Chris Saad http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856554 Chris Saad Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:15:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856554 @Mark exactly my point. I'm glad people are starting to get it. @Mark exactly my point. I’m glad people are starting to get it.

]]> By: Mark Cheverton http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856527 Mark Cheverton Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:56:57 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856527 Don't forget Google's acquisition of Jaiku which can already fulfil the role of providing an aggregated lifestream based on RSS feeds from your social apps. I would agree with Chris - this is trying to invent something that already exists in Jaiku, Plaxo pulse and others. Lifestreming does not require a new technology to get off the ground, just easier setup (as Plaxo has somewhat achieved) plus more openness in terms of RSS output from the apps you already use. Don’t forget Google’s acquisition of Jaiku which can already fulfil the role of providing an aggregated lifestream based on RSS feeds from your social apps.

I would agree with Chris - this is trying to invent something that already exists in Jaiku, Plaxo pulse and others. Lifestreming does not require a new technology to get off the ground, just easier setup (as Plaxo has somewhat achieved) plus more openness in terms of RSS output from the apps you already use.

]]> By: Drivingsouth http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856497 Drivingsouth Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:44:40 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856497 Google is simply doing what GE done a couple of decades ago. Conglomerating but the only difference is the focus on the web environment. Soon they will start to kill the non-performing investments like ants... The no evil crap was always only for who wanted to believe in it Google is simply doing what GE done a couple of decades ago. Conglomerating but the only difference is the focus on the web environment.

Soon they will start to kill the non-performing investments like ants…

The no evil crap was always only for who wanted to believe in it

]]> By: Chris R. http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856469 Chris R. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:33:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856469 http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1835 Somebody over at TechCrunch should have picked up on this. This is very groundbreaking news in IT. MS is going to be forced into the same space as IBM soon. http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1835

Somebody over at TechCrunch should have picked up on this. This is very groundbreaking news in IT. MS is going to be forced into the same space as IBM soon.

]]> By: Chris Saad http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856344 Chris Saad Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:27:28 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856344 The thing is that RSS already produces a universal activity stream if you just splice together all the feeds from all the apps you use - including Flickr, Del.icio.us, Ma.gnolia, Upcoming.org etc. These are all best of breed applications - the only thing they are missing is portable social data. These other proprietary APIs are just an attempt to hold onto user control for a little bit longer. The thing is that RSS already produces a universal activity stream if you just splice together all the feeds from all the apps you use - including Flickr, Del.icio.us, Ma.gnolia, Upcoming.org etc.

These are all best of breed applications - the only thing they are missing is portable social data.

These other proprietary APIs are just an attempt to hold onto user control for a little bit longer.

]]> By: StartupNewz.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856335 StartupNewz.com Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:20:54 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856335 <strong>Google incorporating “Universal Activity Stream” in OpenSocial...</strong> Erick Schonfeld at Techcrunch writes about the how Google is incorporating Facebook becon (yes, the controversial feature) into OpenSocial. Facebook's becon feature monitors the activity of users on partners sites and notify the friends on Facebook. B... Google incorporating “Universal Activity Stream” in OpenSocial…

Erick Schonfeld at Techcrunch writes about the how Google is incorporating Facebook becon (yes, the controversial feature) into OpenSocial. Facebook’s becon feature monitors the activity of users on partners sites and notify the friends on Facebook. B…

]]> By: Chris R. http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856332 Chris R. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:20:19 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856332 Todd, if you're audience can bare it try AFF instead of Adsense. You will make a LOT more money. Again, only if you're audience can take it. But if they can, boy you will start to see revenue come in. Todd, if you’re audience can bare it try AFF instead of Adsense. You will make a LOT more money. Again, only if you’re audience can take it. But if they can, boy you will start to see revenue come in.

]]> By: Technology Slice http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856329 Technology Slice Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:19:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856329 Google has become evil with greed. Google has become evil with greed.

]]> By: =) http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856328 =) Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:19:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856328 can they fix their opensocial first? why they have to follow facbook in every step but not finish it? can they fix their opensocial first? why they have to follow facbook in every step but not finish it?

]]> By: Todd http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856302 Todd Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:05:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856302 I have gone from a Facebook/Coca-Cola shill to and AdSense whore in less than a month. I feel so used! I have gone from a Facebook/Coca-Cola shill to and AdSense whore in less than a month. I feel so used!

]]> By: Nick http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856274 Nick Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:50:08 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/19/google-poaching-beacon-partners-for-universal-activity-stream/#comment-1856274 I think Google empire will be shaken soon. They want to rule everything and users/consumers hate things like that. Do no evil, my ass. I think Google empire will be shaken soon. They want to rule everything and users/consumers hate things like that. Do no evil, my ass.

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