Yesterday Google released a beta version of their web browser named Chrome. The early feedback is generally positive, praising the speed at which pages are rendered which is in part down to the webkit rendering engine that you will find in Safari and more so down to Google's own brand new JavaScript V8 engine.
The engine was developed open source and as a stand alone which means that it can and probably will be ported into other browsers, especially given the early benchmarks which show it performing up to 10 times faster than its nearest competitor.
Critiscisms of the browser include its lack of an ad blocking plugin and interestingly its EULA, specifically;
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.
11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.
Perhaps this is just standard Google EULA stuff, but its there in black and white that Google can pretty much do what they want with information submitted through the browser.
Do you trust Google with your information? and more importantly, do you trust it with whomever they may sell it on to?
As a browser I can see good things happening for Chrome because of Google's standing in the world and the quality associated with that. But the Big Brother approach ruins what would other wise be a fantastic browser.
Popo wrote:
I applaud the "lack" of an ad-blocking plugin. I'm a huge fan of the Web, and I fully support indie-publishers and bloggers. In my book, anyone who uses "ad blocking" is sort of an ass. If the ads are taking up too much of your screen real estate, get a bigger monitor. Monitors are cheap these days. But don't screw over indie-publishers, bloggers and website developers just because you want their content for free.
Dan Kegel wrote:
Here's an official response from Rebecca Ward, Senior Product Counsel for Google Chrome: "In order to keep things simple for our users, we try to use the same set of legal terms (our Universal Terms of Service) for many of our products. Sometimes, as in the case of Google Chrome, this means that the legal terms for a specific product may include terms that don't apply well to the use of that product. We are working quickly to remove language from Section 11 of the current Google Chrome terms of service. This change will apply retroactively to all users who have downloaded Google Chrome."
Mike wrote:
Hi Ark,
I'm not sure you're right, the wording of the agreement means that Google can if it wishes capture data that browser users have posted on forms, for example on blogs such as this, including email addresses. The question for me is one of whether it has the capacity to manage all the data it could capture in order to use it. I think there might be other better ways of building databases.
ark wrote:
"Google can pretty much do what they want with information submitted through the browser." False. "This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services"
Andy Gongea wrote:
This kind of information must be brought in front of the user. This is not light stuff but important and private. Nice article.
sikanrong wrote:
Awesome article
Tanner (does Utah marketing) wrote:
Matt Cutts has made a post on his blog that covers a lot of this, and dispels most of the rumors/concerns. Then again, can you really trust what someone says when they work for the company in question? Still interesting. http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/common-google-chrome-objections
Yvonh wrote:
Everything Google give you for free is to make you use more of their service, since their revenue come from ads, i am pretty sure Chrome will let them earn more money from ads. One day if they go too far they might experience drawback. In my opinion they've already gone too far.