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Comment by reaperducer | Hacker News Reader

The last thing the Internet needs is even more dependence upon Google

Watching Big G's actions over the last few years, I've sometimes wondered if it's laying the groundwork to fork the internet.

People talk about China and Russia's actions balkanizing the internet. But I have a sense that Google could do it, as well, and bring us back to the days when people didn't know the difference between the real internet and America Online.

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We're already there. Younger generation knows little about the web, but they all participate in the walled-garden-net via their app store.

Yep. In many places in the world, the internet is Facebook/WhatsApp/YouTube and whatever portal each of your apps allows you to peer into.

This is no different than the late 90s, when the Internet was AOL for a huge number of people. In 20 years it'll surely be some other platform, too, as long as the relatively open "Internet" foundation persists.

The concern is those foundations though since google obviously has influence when it comes to it.

I think there is an important distinction. Back then, it was all on the PC, which had several hard-fought battles to keep that platform open. Today's main-stream computing platforms (other than PC) are not as open. Replacing the operating system can be impossible. Installing applications outside the designated channels can be impossible.

Smartphone manufacturers can and do have absolute control over the software you run on your device. That was not true in the 90s.

If by "....in many places...." you mean the majority, then I agree.

"Watching Big G's actions over the last few years, I've sometimes wondered if it's laying the groundwork to fork the internet."

Wonder no more as that is the end goal.

Nothing less than becoming the new Ma Bell can be considered success.

> Wonder no more as that is the end goal.

We don't know this.

Not for sure no, but the signs are all there.

Trying to use the california department of motor vehicles website logs you into google. This is not analytics. You also cannot make an appointment with google services blocked (you get "server unavailable")

> I've sometimes wondered if it's laying the groundwork to fork the internet.

Would that mean that my internet would no longer have Googly stuff on it? I could get behind that.

It could also mean your internet not having some other sites which chose to side with Google.

True, but I'm fine with that.

Is this not what AMP is for?

Just see how many websites use Google analytics.

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