On the surface this sounds great, but I also get the feeling this is solving a problem that doesn't exist. The billions of website that exist on the web should be proof of that.
Its a problem that doesn't exist, but will in a few years from now. Those billions of sites depend upon advertising revenue. As ad-blockers have become more popular, the rates that advertisers are willing to pay has fallen. Eventually we could see a majority of users block ads and sites would have to shut down for lack of revenue. This initiative can preempt that.
Also remember the overused line "if you're not paying, you are the product". This could lead to a web that doesn't depend on violating the privacy of its users to make a dime.
Fair points, although the fact that Google is offering this product makes your point about violating the privacy of users a bit moot (in this particular instance...not the solution in general).
You could still browse the web with Ghostify (or µblock…), and only load the Contributor tracking code when you want to support an article.
That would both minimise Google's tracking and prevent you from accidentally contributing to crappy link-bait content. Basically a copy of flattr on Google's infrastructure.
The problem that exists for Google is sites that don't use Google ads. This solves that problem because now Google can say, "you may not like our ads, but all these people want to just pay you, and you can get their funds if you first show our ads by default".
>>problem that exists for Google is sites that don't use Google ads.
That's like saying the problem that exists for my business is the millions of people who don't want to use my product because they meet their needs in other ways. Trying to expand your customer base is fine, but I don't see trying to do it by forcing your customers on to your other products as effective. Look at Google+.
That's exactly what I mean. Lots of business set out to solve the problem of "we're not making all the money we could" rather than actually provide increased value to the world. Google Contributor makes perfect sense from Google's interests. The design makes only more questionable sense in terms of society's interests.
