--- title: "google+ is worth it — alex laughnan" description: "response to chris taylor’s mashable article" url: "https://alexlaughnan.com/blog/google-is-worth-it/" --- [← blog](https://alexlaughnan.com/blog) # google+ is worth it january 10, 2014 10 hours ago, chris taylor was [published on mashable op-ed](http://mashable.com/2014/01/10/google-plus-gmail) with an article titled “**sorry, google+, we still won’t come to your party**.” this is a response to his opinion on the social network. _disclaimer: i’m not saying he is right or wrong, just merely providing a secondary perspective._ #### mandated integration the beginning frustration for chris taylor was the mandated integration for all google users. > “…search giant changes a feature somewhere in its arsenal of services to make that service integrate more tightly, and annoyingly, with the social network google+. ” while i understand the concerns surrounding privacy and social networks (more on that in a hot second), i would argue that this connection between one account and additional services is not only efficient (as a single sign-on method), but provides greater syndication with their tools. while you may have a google+ account, this does not require **mandated engagement**. there will ultimately be a subset of users interacting on blogger, youtube, maps, google+ that will associate with their accounts. #### youtube and google+ speaking specifically on youtube, taylor notes that, “at the end of 2013, it was youtube comments, which now require a google+ login.” this was quite a debate (is anyone still talking about this?) in the technology community. in a presentation i gave to a cs ethics course at portland state university last year, i noted that there were several benefits to this integration. namely, - personal responsibility - risk management - self-education youtube has been known to have severely negative reactions to videos. while this isn’t always a bad thing (hmm..), i believe that to constructively critique you need to have a certain amount of ownership in your response. presently, google+ integration relates your account with your comments. **you are responsible for what you type.** similarly, this goes hand-in-hand with risk management. whether you practice it or not, we all want jobs some day. employers seek employees who understand the value and necessity of managing risk (both personally and professionally). nowadays, a part of this in your presentation on social networks. the final point is **self-education**. in a world where information is at our fingertips (and a lot of information at that) we, as users, are responsible for understanding our accounts. from facebook to twitter, google+ to tumblr, each network has their own complexities and nuances. become familiar with their terms of service (yes, those things). understand their user agreements, privacy settings, account settings, et al. this is your responsibility as a purveyor of the free service. #### defining social networks i was intrigued to see how chris defined social networks. are all social networks supposed to conform to one prescribed set of characteristics? > “a social network is supposed to be fun. it’s a riotous social affair, full of life and color, a global party where everyone’s goofing off and catching up.” for myself, i use google+ as a way to connect with two groups of people: 1. **googlecityexperts** — i like to explore portland. additionally, i love food and travel is an upcoming desire. within google+, i have an outrageous amount of fun interacting with fellow “city experts” (a newly launched program by google maps). we collaborate for events, share reviews, and laugh. a lot. this certainly sounds like “a social network \[that\] is support to be fun.” 2. technology/portland/drupal/etc **communities** — when i have questions that need answers, one of the most effective forums in the last year has been various **communities** on google+. from drupal https media to random portland musings, it has been my go-to place for answers. #### in conclusion it’s up to you. like the continual debate between iphone and android, the social networks that you choose to engage in is a personal choice that you need to make for yourself. each network fulfills a certain need/desire for their end users. check out new networks, find a niche in one or two, learn more about them (_cough_ \*\*_self-education_ \*\*_cough)._ onward… > agree with me? click “**recommend**” below. if you happen to stroll through google+ or feel like providing me with feedback, stop by [my page](http://google.com/+AlexLaughnan).