One of the things I’ve disliked about the rush towards advertising based business models on the Web is that if unchecked it leads to user-hostile behavior in the quest to satisfy the bottom line. The recent flap over Google and Dell installing the equivalent of spyware on new PCs to show users ads when they make a typo when browsing the Web is an example of this negative trend. Now it turns out that Google is in bed with domain name squatters.
These are all examples of Google’s Strategy Tax, the fact that they make their money from ads compromises their integrity when there is a conflict between between doing what’s best for users and doing what’s best for advertisers.
Do no evil. It’s now Search, Ads and Apps
Dare Obasanjo aka Carnage4Life – Doing Evil to the Internet