It’s no secret that I believe Google will dramatically lose popularity. In fact, I believe the coup de grâce has been delivered to Google, by its own hands in some sort of unwitting suicide. The people at Google think that modifying websites you visit using their toolbar is acceptable. A feature in the Google toolbar analyzes the site and inserts hotlinks (paid advertiser links) to sites with matching keywords. I would categorize Google toolbar as spy/adware. Microsoft tried something similar to this in the past, but withdrew the technology after many in the industry equated it to nothing less than violation of the website author’s rights.

So why would Google go ahead with this? I think they’re desperate. They’re losing market share and are implementing gimmicks in a sad attempt to recover lost ground. I’m sure this AutoLink feature in the toolbar generates an appreciable amount of advertisement revenue. Advertisement revenue has become the primary goal of Google. User satisfaction, accurate search results and approval of website authors has become much lower priorities.

Thanks for going public on the stock market Google. I expect the second Dot Com bubble to pop shortly and Google will be in the center of it. Google’s overpriced stock, inadequate database and ill conceived features are a recipe for disaster. If you own any Google stock, sell it. You’ve been warned. Don’t start crying when the price of Google drops 60%.

I’m seriously considering blocking Google from my site. As the author of the site, I reserve sole right to control links to outbound sites.