As a side note: I do enjoy using Google+ and have had an account for a while now. I enjoy the fact that I can connect to multiple sites while just logging in once. Though I have this in mind, I will try to as unbiased as can be.
I first heard of this integration when I was on Tumblr and saw a post that Hank Green posted explaining lessons from this integration. It is no surprise that the Green brothers are not a fan of this integration, not because it is change, but more for the fact that content creators who have been a part of this website revolution have to change how they post and a system that they have made.
It also is able to give these content creators a way to separate their lives from what they post. I'm a huge fan of a lot of vloggers, seriously I follow some vlogs more than I watch television because I find it more relevant. Though I am a fan I do respect that there are areas in their lives that they may not want to share with the internet. I respect that they have personal accounts that they only have with their friends and not their fans. They need privacy and Google+ is not necessarily helping in this area. In fact, it is display their lives, which can lead to the debate that if they are posting content online then they must live with the consequences (Side note: I think this debate is stupid. They are people and each person deserves privacy. I post things online, but I don't necessarily post details because I don't think the details are relevant for all to know.).
Now on the other hand, I completely understand why Google made this move. As a person who loves studying new and emerging media online, especially when it comes to marketing, I think this is brilliant. Not only are they growing their user base for Google+, but they have a better opportunity to be able to mine for data. Google is known for their stellar algorithms for search engine optimization (SEO). This will be able to help them target users and to better help with SEO. Now with this comes the whole idea of what George Orwell gave in his classic 1984 novel, but I believe we overplay this and have been playing into this idea for years (Side note: Once again, I find this argument a little overplayed. Since people are fighting back with petitions and finding new ways to create content, we will not be in this 1984 society.).
There are other good points coming with this integration with some of the limitations with comments, like having limitations on what words are not acceptable for your comment section and showing conversations. Being completely honest, these changes make sense to me. For example, when Twitter made changes with their feed when it comes to connecting conversations, I really enjoyed that. I was able to follow what was going on better and felt more involved instead of having to search around or specifically seek out the conversation. These changes that Google made are positive.
Back to the main reason this is causing controversy with forcing content creators to have a Google+ account. As a whole I understand where Google is coming from, because having a Google+ account connects a user with every online Google products (maps, play, news, calendar, YouTube, email, etc.). In theory, Google is making it more convenient for content creators, but that did not happen.
My view on Google has not changed with this integration and I still think Google is an awesome company making some smart strategic business moves. This integration was going to happen all along and people will be angry, but I do not think this will hurt them in the long run.
What I do think will be interesting to watch is how sites like Subbable will compete with this, since the content creators do have YouTube sites. I'm curious to see if more sites will have a more NPR type of existence to be able to go against Google/YouTube. I feel like this is a trend that will be happening, especially as more millennials enter the workforce and support the online entertainment world as opposed to the current/traditional entertainment.
I have always found this interesting and excited to see where this debate will lead.
By the way, some of the articles that I read and found interesting are listed below:
- Google+, YouTube Comment Integration Sparks User Outrage
- Google Plus YouTube Comments: Reddit Users Fight Back Against Forced Integration
- Google Plus Creates Uproar Over Forced YouTube Integration
- YouTube faces backlash for Google+ integration
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