I am (or was) a big fan of Google's products. As a true follower, I dumped my Yahoo! IM for Gtalk, always used Google search, Google docs, Google alerts, News, and other apps. I was almost tempted to use Google's new browser, Chrome..I downloaded and installed it. Then when I was about to type first URL into it, a strange doubt haunted me. Am I giving away too much to Google?
There have been innumerable reports on privacy concerns and how Google is trying to 'better understand' (in Eric's words) us. It knows which websites I surf, which videos I am watching, all my emails (ok, may be Google does not know it, but there is a program sitting there which is reading my emails). And there may be other ways in which Google might be tracking me.
Now, through Chrome, am I ready to further increase my exposure to Google? I don't think so. May be there is no information or history being tracked, but what if there is one clause in one of those licensing agreements which I click without reading. Should I take that risk? People may argue that Firefox might be doing the same thing. Ok! but at least it is not Google, information at 2 different places is better than 1 single consolidated place.
My decision is not based on logic and facts, but on suspicion and fear. But then remember that fear is never based on facts, but on feeling and intuition, and I don't feel good about Google as of now.
