What would happen if Google had its own social networking site? Well, back in 2011, Google launched Google+ as their official social media platform. Over time, Google+ kept going through various “innovations.”
When it comes to Google’s technology—no doubt, it’s top-notch. When it comes to features—everyone agrees, they’re solid. And don’t even get started on their endless budget. But there’s one crucial element a social network truly needs: a large base of active users.
Realizing that not many people actually wanted to use Google+, Google began introducing all sorts of “innovations” to force the general public into using it.
Some of these “innovations” included integrating Google+ profiles when signing up for Gmail or the Android Play Store, linking author profiles on websites to Google+, forcing users to log in with Google+ just to leave a comment on YouTube, even Google Search results started pulling micro-content from people’s Google+ activity.
Basically, this was a monopoly through hegemony: Once we were hooked—completely reliant and in love with all of Google’s other services—that’s when we passively accepted (or even supported) this forced integration. Because, well… we were already too deep in love.
Fortunately, there were still plenty of “sane” (aka indifferent) users who only created a profile just for the sake of it. As a result, even though the number of Google+ accounts looked massive, barely anyone actually used it as a real social network. Many netizens joked that Google+ was like a ghost town—a deserted digital city. Because seriously… no one was ever really there. Wakakakak.
PS:
Update 2019, Google finally closed Google+ service to the public in April 2019.
