Google: Cheeseburgers, Fried Rice, and Gluten Free Pizza Cravings?
March 24, 2022
I have no idea if the write up in Ars Technica is accurate. The story is called “Google Hijacked Millions of Customers and Orders from Restaurants, Lawsuit Says.” The article does not use the word “predatory” or any other metaphorically rich language. The focus is that something called Left Field Holdings which operates Mexican restaurants has alleged that the Google is in the bait-and-switch game.
The idea is that Google allows an order online function. A restaurant creates a Google business profile and has the option to allow ordering from the Google page. But what if the restaurant doesn’t sign up. The lawsuit, based on the information in the article, activates the function.
Here’s the passage I find fascinating:
It’s not clear when The Ordering App or the “Order Online” button changed tack or if it ever did—there’s very little information about the acquisition or the product that’s public—but the lawsuit alleges that at some point Google decided to market it to food delivery companies instead of restaurants.
Gee, I wonder if a developer implemented a feature in order to get a bonus or qualify for a position upgrade?
Here’s another interesting passage in the write up:
f restaurants haven’t completed the setup, Google appears to create a page anyway. It’s unclear how that happens, though it’s possible that a restaurant’s appearance in a delivery app is what triggers it. That isn’t always a sign of a business relationship between the restaurant and food delivery company, though. Many food delivery companies have been sued for adding restaurants without their consent.
Like Google’s new buy a car or other click here and Mother Google will make your life easier functions, is it possible that years of zero regulatory oversight and a “hey, we’re Google and we can do anything, even solve death” mentality is at work.
We love the Google and know that none of its management team, with skills honed in high school science clubs, would play fast and loose, get commissions, and abuse outfits which don’t spend big bucks for Google advertising.
Our ethically minded Google could not behave in this manner. We are believers in the one true way for online behavior. Aren’t you? Obviously the owners of the Mexican restaurants are unlikely to be deemed Googley.
And if you are not Googley, exactly what are you? Do you even exist?
Stephen E Arnold, March 24, 2022
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