Google vs. Facebook: The User Data Fight Gets Childish
The escalating fight between Google (GOOG) and Facebook over control of user data has taken a turn for the comical. Google has blocked Facebook users from importing their Gmail contact info into their Facebook accounts because the social networking giant won't reciprocate and share its user data with Google. Then Facebook found a workaround.
So now Google has struck back with a snippy message for Facebook users, asking them if they're "super sure" that they want to risk having their data locked up. Yup, we've finally descended into stereotyped 1950's sitcom schoolyard banter. And that's from the more mature of the two companies. Here's the landing page that Google set up from Facebook users who would import their Gmail data:
Hold on a second. Are you super sure you want to import your contact information for your friends into a service that won't let you get it out? Here's the not-so-fine print. You have been directed to this page from a site that doesn't allow you to re-export your data to other services, essentially locking up your contact data about your friends. So once you import your data there, you won't be able to get it out. We think this is an important thing for you to know before you import your data there. Although we strongly disagree with this data protectionism, the choice is yours. Because, after all, you should have control over your data.Let's deconstruct the argument for a moment.
- There is a fundamental difference between Gmail and Facebook. The former is an email service, so you have direct contact information for people.
- Facebook offers facilitated communications in the form of messages, comments on status updates, or direct posts on someone's "wall." Although a person might have an email up for online friends to take and use, that's hardly universal. It would be a presumption to assume that everyone will have detailed contract info for all of the other users with whom they are connected.
- Does anyone really open a Facebook account and then proceed to delete all contact information from any email software, whether powered by Google or residing on someone's personal hard drive?
Not that there are heroes or villains in this mix-up. Google wants as much data as it can get to jumpstart its own social media activities and to have more data to better serve advertisements so it can make more money. Facebook wants as much data as it can get. Neither side wants to give away value to the other.
The only party really left out, no matter how the corporations spin their actions, is the consumer. But then, real choice would mean a choice to not have data used for marketing purposes. And that would mean having consumers willing to pay for the services they get.
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