[flancian]

I won't try to dispel this notion; I think your opinion is valid. I'll just say that in my experience Google is made up from a majority of people with good intentions :)

I'm interested in discussing how precisely Google could negatively affect the project -- I currently don't think that's possible, but I might be missing something.

[corobo]

Of course on the individual level Google hoovers up the smartest in the world! As a company though, social network shambles every time haha.

I don't know how they'd mess it up, gut feeling really. I do honestly wish you the best of luck outside of my cynicism!

[indigochill]

The difference here is that this is not formally a Google project the way Wave, G+, etc were. This is just someone's hobby that incidentally Google owns the copyright to because tech companies treat engineers like glorified slaves when it comes to intellectual property.

Google kills social projects they run, but since they don't run this one, I don't see them interfering. Their ownership is just a technicality because of stone age IP law.

[corobo]

They don't take the copyright from you for a laugh.