Google's Matt Cutts is once again defending Chrome and its privacy policies, hoping to assuage user fears that the new browser is really just another way for Google to keep tabs on users and their personal Web surfing. While the privacy issue does indeed seem to be dogging Chrome, the real reasons behind its rather lackluster uptake so far (it holds just 1% of the browser market, compared to IE's 68%) seem to be far more concrete in nature: It can't compete on features.
When Chrome first debuted in September, Cutts got out in front of the privacy issue and tried to explain why Chrome was no more privacy-challenged than other browsers. Four months later, Cutts is still defending Chrome's privacy policies, pointing users to new policies implemented when Chrome emerged from beta. As he explains, Chrome's data collection is no more nefarious than any other browser's and focuses primarily on ease of use (via the suggestion service) and stability improvements (via reporting crash statistics). And since all of the privacy policies are now in one place and can be easily disabled via a checkbox, it's hard to see why Chrome is a privacy problem.
The real problem isn't privacy, however. It's that many users simply can't yet rely on Chrome to do real work. For example:
Google still has yet to release Chrome for the Mac.
Chrome doesn't work well with enterprise apps designed for IE, which admittedly is a stumbling block for Firefox as well.
Chrome offers no ad-blocker.
Chrome has no way for users to prevent unwanted updates--when a new version is released, users get it whether they want it or not.
And those are just the few missing features mentioned by the commenters to Cutts' blog (lack of strong password security, RSS reader functionality and add-ons/plug-ins are also key downsides). While it was nice that Chrome emerged from beta so quickly, and it's important that Google continue to debunk the privacy myth, perhaps it would be best to focus more energy on actually getting the browser up to snuff enough to compete in the increasingly robust browser market. Chrome is off to a great start--it's speed and stability are hard to beat. Now its feature set just needs to catch up.
The Google Subnet blog is the official blog of Network World's Google Subnet community. Google Subnet is the independent voice of Google customers and is your gateway to daily Google news, blogs, tips and more. Visit the Google Subnet home page daily.
The Leader in Network Knowledge
Post new comment