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What if Google decided YOU were 'malware'?
10 comments- TAGS:Google
- IT TOPICS:Mobile & Wireless, SaaS & Cloud Computing, Software
Google screwed up massively this morning, identifying every page on the Internet as one that could "harm your computer." Most users would click on a link, and instead of the page requested, received a big warning message. This went on for entire hour.
The company said that the problem was caused by "human error."
Because the error essentially shut down Google for everyone in the entire world, the company fixed it immediately.
But what if Google made another error, and decided YOU were malware? What if the company, for whatever reason, came to the conclusion that you were a spammer, or a criminal, or somehow abused their rules? What if they simply invalidated your password to prevent you from using their many services?
It could happen because some hacker has stolen your password and is doing evil deeds with your account. Or it could be triggered by something you're doing, such as sending copies of an e-mail to a large number of people, or whatever. Or it could be more "human error" on the part of Google.
You go to log into Gmail, and the password doesn't work! How would that affect you?
In my case, that would shut me out of e-mail, my calendar, my blog, "Docs," AdSense and a whole bunch of other things. I use these sites also to store vital information I need in order to search for things. It would be devastating.
What happens when other companies choose to shut you down. Facebook has been known to simply determine that users have violated unpublished rules for use, and cut people off. If this were to happen to you, you might be able to see the messages and posts people make, but you wouldn't be able to reply.
I use reQall as the sole repository of all my projects and action items. I use FutureMe to queue up important reminders for months or years later. I use Evernote to store notes, column ideas, and a huge number of vitally important facts and details that I need for a variety of purposes. In fact, I use a wide number of free services for holding and managing data.
This is especially relevant for digital nomads, who rely heavily on these services because we're mobile.
Free services are great when all is well. But when they stop working for whatever reason or turn against you, what recourse do you have? Unlike paid services, these free sites don't really have an obligation to you because you're not the customer. If they're advertiser-supported, like Google, the advertisers are the customers, not you.
Google's colossal meltdown today should remind us all of how vulnerable we are to errors -- human or otherwise -- at the companies we increasingly rely upon for our everyday work.
We've got to make sure we keep backups of everything and constantly prepare ourselves for sudden shut-outs, meltdowns, misunderstandings or even the collapse of these companies.
Because when companies that offer free services decide YOU'RE the malware, they can make your life quite unpleasant. And when it's only you and not the entire Internet, it will take a lot longer than an hour to fix -- if they ever fix it.
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