Google

Google is a social network by Google Inc. It is the world's second largest social network, since it has overtaken Twitter in January 2013 with the number of active users. Google itself describes Google as a "social layer " that extends many of Google's products. This is different from most other social networks, their access is limited to a single site. Others see Google as a direct competitor to Facebook.

History

The site had been operational since 28 June 2011. In an early phase of the Register by an existing user was by invitation only. Since the September 20, 2011 you can also register without an invitation in the social network. Initially, the minimum age was 18 years, which was reduced from 27 January 2012, 13 years old.

88 days after the release of Google already counted 40 million registered users. Thus, it was the fastest growing social network in history. By comparison, Facebook reached the same number of users after 1325 days. On March 7, 2012 it was announced that the network had crossed the mark of 100 million regular users. In April 2012, the design was revised, at this time, 170 million users were registered in June 250 million. At the end of 2012, the number of users of Google itself was estimated at 500 million, of which 135 million are active. 2013 Google stated that 190 million active users on Google would be.

Participant

Google offers this service on the one hand, individuals ( natural persons ), on the other hand, as well as companies, institutions, associations and other non-natural person, such as families. Individuals that register with their real names, so the actual first and last name. However, it is possible to use an alias as a pseudonym. The presence of a natural person calls Google " Google profile," while that of a non-natural person is called " Google page ". Both forms differ slightly in their presentation, but also in their ways.

Functions

Google puts a hand to the combination of its existing services, on the other hand, it also offers a range of new social plugins. An essential difference to most other social networks is the fact that relations between the participants in Google can be one-sided and are classified according to the model of so-called diaspora in circles (Circles ).

General functionality

The functions of the network describes Google as follows:

• With the circles, the user can allocate its contacts into groups, and so share different information with specific circles. Thus, the user can eg share with his family pictures of the last family celebration. The contacts do not have to be signed in to Google to belong to a circle. Information that is shared with such people are then sent on request by e -mail. An invitation e- mail is from Google but always generated when a person without " Google " account is added to a circle. As a user, you can specify both who can see the members of their own groups, as well as who can see, in whose circles it is self- contained.

• Contributions are " shared " in the parlance of Google , the first author of the post must determine exactly who. This may be the public, the members of one or more circles, but, for example, an e- mail address - or all in combination. Contributions can take a picture, a movie, a link or a site containing these elements are automatically adjusted. Thus, an image is shown as a small thumbnail, and a link to preview is created ( with picture). A contribution may also arise from the parts of a foreign contribution, where you can exclude this possibility.

• Stream Google calls the stream of posts. On the "Overview" page the user sees normally all posts all of its circles in reverse chronological order, so the newest above. One can per circuit set the "Volume", bringing the number of posts is meant to be mixed into the stream. But you can also select a circle and then sees only the contributions of the people in it. These web pages are not static - new posts have the older flow down without the page has to be reloaded.

• Users of Google can upload image files in any number and organize them into albums. Big images 2048 pixels are thereby reduced to 2048 ×. Addition to the presentation in Google these images are also available in Picasa Web Albums, the same is true vice versa.

• Comments can be submitted both to make contributions as well as to images in albums, which can be the opportunity for their own posts and lock. Comments containing only text with minimal formatting options. They are displayed in the stream below the posts.

• 1 Is a button that the user can tell the public what he perceives as positive. The function is the " Like" button of Facebook comparable. This button is available in every post, every comment and every image available, they can occur on third-party websites.

• Many actions can trigger a notification, whereby the user can finely adjust what he wants to be notified. How can for example be a notification if a (possibly foreign) is commented contribution after the user had even commented on this post. The number of new messages is displayed in the Google bar in a red square, click on it opens a list of various actions can be performed directly.

• Google Hangouts are chats, to which the user invite any number of other people and then you can carry on a conversation via video chat. It can take 10 people simultaneously on a Hangout

• With Hangouts on Air Users have the ability to publish a video stream live. The stream is simultaneously archived on YouTube and made ​​publicly available. The function was released in Germany on August 15, 2012 after it was in other countries since September 2011. She is legally controversial because public programs are subject to the State Broadcasting Treaty.

• The Google bar, which is located at the top as in other Google products, is used inter alia for quick account switching and for the convenience of administration. It represents a connection between Google and all other Google products

• With Google communities groups can discuss about any topic. The function, which was first introduced in December 2012, allows for the permanent provision of certain Content for a defined group of people or the general public. Within a so-called community can Hangouts and hold events.

According to official figures, only 20 percent of the planned features of Google have been implemented. In the coming years, especially the apps and the Google API will be developed further.

Functions within texts

• Naming names: the name of another profile can be taken automatically into a text. For this you type in a plus sign or an @ sign and starts to type in the name. The system then displays - progressively with the tap - a selection of profiles, from which you must select the required. The mention of a profile usually triggers a notification to this profile. Non-public posts, which were not visible for a given profile are visible to this profile if it is ( in a comment ) called.

• Hashtags: A pound sign ( # ), written without a space before a single word, this makes the search term. After publication of the article the reader can click on that word, creating a Google Plus internal search for the hashtag starts. Mentions of Betr. word without the " #" character can not be found here, also be mentions of hashtags not included in comments.

• At markups within articles and comments are possible: Bold by enclosing it in a star symbol,
• Italics by enclosing it in an underscore,
• Strike-through text by enclosing it in a minus sign.

User Profile

The term profile is available at Google not only for the presence of a natural person (as participants), but also for the five personal pages ( "tabs" ) of each user:

• Contributions shows the contributions of the user as a summary of the stream.

• About Me contains the personal data of the user, Google to prompt you to provide information, but does not enforce this. The site is only a very limited ad hoc, instead Google offers a wide variety of fields, which can be filled, such as the address, occupation, occupations, etc. For each group of data, the user can specify who is allowed to see it: about the public, all circles, only himself.

• Photos leads to the images, it even further apart from the albums created explicitly by the user: "Photos of the user", containing all the images in which the user " tagged ", was thus identified, "Photos from posts" where the images are collected that are not assigned to any album, but in posts using found " photos for the photo wall " and finally " Profile Photos " that contains all the (possibly earlier ) profile photos. Outside of the profile there's also the images under " From Phone " where the uploaded ( on request ) photos of the phone are collected. These are - as long as they are not shared with anyone - only to the user himself visible.

• Videos leads to the videos of the user.

• 1 Shows a list of the (foreign) sites, which has rated positively on the " 1" button the user.

The pages of photos, videos and 1 can be hidden by the user for others. About the profile the profile image ( as displayed in reduced form even in each post ), and a photo wall of five square images displayed, alternatively, a wide picture is possible.

Google allows selected users to shorten the public address of their profile with the help of a so-called Vanity URL. Instead of the profile number the Vanity URL contains a short name that will be proposed to the user automatically and can not be edited. In August 2012, Google began with the introduction of vanity URLs for German -speaking users.

Google pages

November 7, 2011 Google launched a profile for businesses and organizations under the name " Google Pages " ( pages). So it is companies and associations possible to perform under their name to divide users into circles or to videoconference over the Hangouts feature. These sites have an owner and they may have one or more administrators who are allowed to edit the content. One side must be created by the Profile of a natural person - but this does not have it be recognizable.

End of 2011, Google introduced a manual verification of the authenticity of Google Pages that may be requested by the holders of the page. Successfully tested pages are indicated by a check mark icon and provide the user with the assurance that this site is really managed by the named brand or company. The review will be granted only for pages from a given number of users.

July 19, 2012 Google has opened access to Google pages by third applications. While this initially only selected companies was possible, each service through a public API to " Google " pages and circles can now access. This includes in particular the program HootSuite, which is primarily used by companies to centrally control multiple social networks.

Applications

Google has started early provide apps for mobile access to Google . Currently, the Apple iOS and Android operating systems are supported, both using a smartphone as well as on tablets. The last major revision to the Apps was launched in May 2012 and included, among other things, mobile Hangouts and improved navigation with quick access. Recently, Google released on July 10, 2012, a version of the app for the iPad. It was first announced during the Google I / O and also supports high-resolution screens, including the retina displays from Apple. Since October 2012, it is possible not only profiles but also (organizational) pages about the appropriate app for iOS to manage.

Integration

In November 2011, Google has begun to integrate information from Google in the search results. In the course of particularly the display of Profile Photos experienced high compliance, on which the author of a website is directly visible in the results. Technically, the connection between Google web search, Google and the affected website with the help of meta-elements is realized. The identification of a Web page with a profile on Google as an author switches for each person automatically free access to the Google Webmaster Tools.

Google has content from the social network Google over several months scored higher than content of competing platforms. This meant that user profiles and pages were displayed above the search results tend to be competitive, provided they were active on Google . Google wanted to encourage the dissemination of own network, which drew massive criticism from the European Commission itself. In August 2012, Google has officially set the preference.

Already Discontinued Specials

With the games in Google Games, the user had the opportunity when and with whom he would like to play and share updates. There game titles such as Angry Birds, Monster World and Zombie Lane were published. This offer was abandoned for lack of demand on 30 June 2013.