LIKE MOST countries, Ireland is a googling nation. From a business vision to a common verb in a decade is quite an achievement for any company, but Google, which was 10 years old this week, is no ordinary company. The internet search giant, started by two Stanford University students, now pervades our online lives: 78.4 per cent of us start our internet searches with Google.
We google in other ways too - every time we look at a YouTube video, the hugely popular video clip site owned by Google. Many use its free e-mail service, its word processor software, its Blogger free blogging program, or Google maps. And of course, we are served up advertisements via Google (and will be served even more, after its purchase this year of online ad leader DoubleClick). Ultimately, Google's ability to know how a given person uses the web, and match that activity to targeted advertising, has driven this secretive company's business model.
During the time that the dotcoms came tumbling down, Google grew exponentially, debuting as a public company in 2004 with shares that cost $85, and eventually hit a high of $741.79 at their peak. They are now worth about $430. That has made for one of the world's most powerful companies, with one of the world's most recognisable brands. Google is valued at an extraordinary $140 billion. Founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are worth $18 billion each.
But all that nifty googling capability comes at a cost. Google offers us information, but in exchange, wants information back - it feeds on the details of what we do online, how we use its services, what we search for, what web pages we look at. In order to access fresh markets, it has shown a willingness to compromise - to censor on behalf of the Chinese government, for example. This has caused many to question its jovial corporate motto, "Do no evil," and made for an uneasy relationship with privacy advocates, and governments, too. The European Commission has been tenacious in challenging Google's need to retain search data for long periods. Google celebrated its anniversary by announcing it would hold search data for nine months rather than the previous 18. Meanwhile, the US has appointed a lawyer to consider potential anti-cartel charges against the company for an ad deal it made with rival Yahoo in June.
So, not exactly a happy birthday, then. Still, few can imagine an online life without Google. A better balance between cool services and privacy would make many people readier to wish Google many happy returns.