The Secret Swede

Not a week goes by without new allegations and threats against Google from German officials. Recently there were reports of federal and state officials debating to make the usage of Google Analytics illegal because of fears that Google might create detailed user profiles based on users’ interests. This would consequently impose fines on websites using this tool to collect and analyze anonymous usage data from their visitors. In other bizarre news, local officials in a small city have voted for a plan to charge Google per kilometer for Street View footage.

The latest assault comes from Germany’s minister of justice Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (FDP) who in the Spiegel magazine (poor translation here) threatens with legislative actions unless Google is rethinking its what she calls “gigantomania”. She criticizes Google for its general arrogance against user privacy, lack of transparency, and megalomania. Just as in any Google bashing article, she also mentions Google Book Search which has recently been harshly criticized by Angela Merkel’s government. In a speech before the opening of the last Frankfurt Book Fair Merkel said her government opposes Google’s endeavour to create an online library due to the “considerable dangers” for copyright protection online.

Germany has a dark history of breeches in citizens’ privacy and still to this day there are new revelations about the GDR’s repulsive treatment of its own citizens. Thus, this suspicious view of Google the Giant might not come as a surprise. One can only hope though that there are enough politicians and advisors in the current government who understand and can explain new technology to their older peers. The way I see it, Google with its huge worldwide reach and innovative products has undeservedly become a convenient target for people’s legitimate fears to lose their privacy in the vast world wide web.

To answer the question if the German government dislikes Google, my answer is clearly No! Instead, I believe the lawmakers’ attacks are caused by pressure from understandably concerned citizens, but even worse, from slow moving industries, mainly in publishing and news, who have held on to their old ways and refused to adapt to the digital era. They are now failing to deliver on their outdated business models and governments are sadly once again intervening to save failing industries to the detriment of the users.