Google: Synonym for Search. Sometimes used to describe a once big name in the fading ad world. Google became known for camouflaging ads as search results, which turbo charged the erosion of user trust. To stay on brand they decided to drop the corporate motto "Don't be evil" and started operating under the James Bond villain pseudonym "Alphabet". Facebook, predictably, copied that tactic. Instead of asking us what we want to buy next, Google finds new creative ways to spy on what we do in our bathrooms and bedrooms. Their business model isn’t primarily about being creepy; it’s about selling ad services to people who need to push more rubber boots, umbrellas, and toasters. The ads service doesn't really work. These ads do bot yield more money than they cost—there’s no perpetuum mobile. Yet, since the process is opaque, few except the EU have questioned Google’s sketchy business model. Google continues to release half-baked products, but their employees are still lucky, enjoying generous pay, stock options, and free snacks. Despite Google’s rough handling of its Android acquisition, the platform remains the go-to for those who avoid spending big on iPhones, making it the globally dominant platform. Google pays Apple over $20 billion to secure its spot as the default search engine on iOS, celebrating and congratulating Apple for its de facto market dominance. Distinguishing between Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft used to be crucial in the attention economy. However, as Artificial Intelligence is making everything the same these distinctions might only matter to shareholders.
