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# Google's Risky Gambit
- URL: https://www.philsimon.com/googles-risky-gambit/
- Published: 2012-01-14T15:05:39.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-02T18:35:18.000Z
- Description: Thoughts on tweaking a core product.
- Author: Phil Simon
- Tags: Platforms, Frenemies, Google, The Age of the Platform

I get why they're doing it. Really. Google is integrated its well received Plus product into its general search results. The feature is called: Search, Plus Your World (SPYW). Why the company doesn't capitalize the *p* is beyond me, but I digress.

Yes, it's easy to disable with a single click, but it just doesn't feel right. I could handle the "real-time search" feature, especially after Google couldn't gobble up Twitter. That made sense to me.

On this one, though. I'm just not feeling it. And [the government is also looking at this carefully](https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/google-likely-to-face-ftc-complaint-over-search-plus-your-world.html?ref=philsimon.com).

For a longer take on why this is a bad idea, [read Steven Levy's piece](https://www.stevenlevy.com/index.php/01/12/is-too-much-plus-is-a-minus-for-google?ref=philsimon.com).