> it's like there's something inherently satisfying when the big guy gets knocked down, the idea that being big is bad in and of itself.
It is surely true that some people see it that way, but I think most people would be fine with Google being gigantic if they perceived the company and it's services as being strictly beneficial for everyone.
If there were no concerns about abuse of power, loss of privacy, squashing of business competetors via ethically questionable means, etc -- if people believed that the phrase "don't be evil" was being 100% followed at Google, I don't think most of them would have a problem with its size.
We need to be aware of our own bubbles when talking about how "most people" feel.
I think most tech aware people are wary of Google, at best.
I think most people people don't care. They use Google to search things every day and it seems to work for them. They might hear about privacy every once in a while but don't give it any thought. Most people think Android is synonymous with Samsung.
I wasn't suggesting that most non-technical people know much detail about why a company like Google might not be their best friend (I know they don't). I was addressing the idea that some people think "being big is bad in and of itself", and that I don't think that most people see it that way.
I spend a lot of time with non-technical people, so I don't think that perception is tainted by a tech bubble.
It is surely true that some people see it that way, but I think most people would be fine with Google being gigantic if they perceived the company and it's services as being strictly beneficial for everyone.
If there were no concerns about abuse of power, loss of privacy, squashing of business competetors via ethically questionable means, etc -- if people believed that the phrase "don't be evil" was being 100% followed at Google, I don't think most of them would have a problem with its size.