Google’s Heavy-Handed Techniques Spark Concerns Over Manipulation
Google’s latest move to remind users to upgrade to Google One has sparked concerns over the company’s heavy-handed techniques. The company’s peers are increasingly relying on subscriptions to keep revenue growing and shareholders happy.
There were probably a few meetings in Mountain View where someone questioned whether it’s really necessary to show a nagging message every single time users upload a file to Drive. That person lost the argument, and here we are.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Google making money from its services. I’d consider paying more than $2/month if Google didn’t use manipulative tactics, reminding me of those needy antivirus pop-ups I had on my PC back in 2004.
And just like that, we’ve come full circle. Back in 2004, Gmail took off thanks to the generous free storage, leaving incumbents in the dust. Two decades later, Google is the incumbent, and now it’s the one squeezing users.