A Message from the Soapbox

On Tuesday of last week, Google launched a social media style network of its own called, appropriately enough, Buzz. Buzz is sort of an amalgam of all things social, allowing for pictures, video and status updates all from the same portal you would use for Gmail. There is also going to be an application created to allow you access from your Android or iPhone allowing for real-time updates.

Within a few hours, some of the “early adopters” noted a series of privacy concerns embedded in Google Buzz that made the public cry out for changes and call Google names. And Google made changes, and made them quickly. As of the time I am writing this, they have already updated the entire Buzz network twice. Something struck me as odd about this…almost annoying…and for the life of me, I couldn’t put my finger on why.

I’m used to things not working. I have an application on my BlackBerry that allows me to search things by just talking into my phone. Recently, I need to know if Dinah Shore was alive. When using this tool, the search came back with “are dinosaurs alive”. O.K. I recognize that as a fail on all levels, but I didn’t lodge a complaint to the maker of the application.

And then…I started to recognize why I was annoyed. Twitter users frequently complain about the ever-lurking “fail whale” error message, and complain to Twitter about making the service more reliable. I can’t log into Facebook some days without seeing new groups started to complain about the changes to Facebook. And now, a group of people are attacking Google with the same vigor about Buzz.

Why do these things annoy me? Because the services people are rudely demanding changes to are free.

(For examples of some rude types of behavior - with a language warning - you can click here, here or here).

Nobody is forcing you to Twitter your lunch choice, nobody is telling you that you must post all of the different items you need for your Farm and Mafia on Facebook, and Google isn’t forcing you to use their new Buzz program. When was the last time you received something for free anywhere but on-line and then rudely complained when it didn’t fit your needs?

Hey Rainbow Foods, you guys are Fascists because you are giving away free boxes of Cheerios, and I really want Froot Loops.

I know that companies have brands, and brands have value, and that value comes from the user. I also know that by getting feedback, companies who operate on-line are able to make the products they create better. However, let’s refrain from a bit of the hyperbole, and remember that unless you’re planning to build the next, greatest free thing on the internet…maybe you could get your point across using a bit of control and tact.