We have completely different ways of paying for things than we did twenty years ago. While we used to use cash or check and sometimes charge for larger purchases, now people often don’t carry money, never carry a checkbook, and usually do everything with plastic or even sometimes with their smartphone.
Online there are more options, and now there is an additional one being added to the mix. Along with using a credit card, you can also use a system such as Paypal or Apple Pay. And now “Pay with Google” has been introduced, working much like Paypal. We asked our writers, “Do you trust Google enough to use ‘Pay with Google?’ ”
Our Opinion
Nicholas sees that Google has “almost no reason not to be trusted.” Additionally, they’re more capitalized than all the big U.S. banks, so if they offer a payment service, it makes sense on many levels, “from proving trustworthy to having cash backup in case of a ‘bank run,’ “ referencing a group of customers asking for all their money back at the same time, knowing that U.S. banks aren’t in a position to do that.
As an Android user, Damien is already using the Google payment system to buy apps, so there isn’t any reason for him not to trust them on websites. Additionally, “as a publisher, since Pay with Google does not charge a transaction fee, I am already planning on adding it as one of the payment methods for [Make Tech Easier].”
Phil’s only misgiving has nothing to do with finance but everything to do with data. “Google’s data is its business model, not its innovation, science, or services.” Even if they share information about him anonymously, it would still make him uneasy. That being said, he does recognize they are financially stronger than most banks.
Miguel feels that “we give our personally identifiable information too liberally, yet Google has a track record of safeguarding their users’ data from compromise rather efficiently,” so he has mixed feelings. He doesn’t interact with any financial institution for any length of time, withdrawing money from the ATM as soon as he can to pay for things with cash. “If I can avoid using digital finance, I will.” However, when it comes to Google’s payment system, he doesn’t see a reason to not have at least some trust in it. He also agrees with Phil regarding the concern of Google using your purchase history for their own gain.
Ada won’t use it as her sole way of payment, so she’s not that concerned about privacy. She doesn’t care if the world knows she’s buying books, clothes, home appliances, etc. She also sees it as good when a new, solid player is added to the market. However, even though they’re Google, there are already many other players in the field, so she thinks they’ll need some luck in succeeding.
Alex jokes, “For the amount of Google services I use, I better trust them!” He realizes they use personal information to sell things, but notes their products are often the best. They have no legitimate competition when it comes to Google search, and they’ve never given anyone a reason to not trust them. “Whether I use Pay with Google will come down to the quality of the service rather than the trust I place in Google.”
Christopher figures if he’s going to give his financial information to an Internet company, Paypal and Google are by far the best bets. He asks when was the last time we heard of Google’s servers being breached and thinks the biggest security incident with Google was a phishing link with a fake Docs web app. He trusts Google to keep his data safe because “thus far they’ve proven very good at it, and as one of the biggest web service providers on the planet, I have no doubt that doing so has required furious maintenance and upkeep.”
Ryan can see why people would be apprehensive with Pay with Google, but he’s been using his bank’s Android app to pay for things with his phone. “Since Pay with Google allows people to spend their money faster and easier, the only issue I can see is for people who aren’t good at managing their money.”
Personally, I would have no reason for not trusting Google either. I have no reason to use it as an Apple and Paypal user and because the places where I can’t use Apple Pay or Paypal, I use my credit card. The places where I have to input my credit card credentials because I can’t use the others are less likely to be using Pay with Google. But if I was looking for another option, I’d have no problem using Pay with Google.
Your Opinion
It sounds like our writers for the most part feel like they could trust Pay with Google, regardless of whether or not they plan to use it. How about you? Do you trust Google enough to use Pay with Google? Let us know below in the comments!
Laura has spent nearly 20 years writing news, reviews, and op-eds, with more than 10 of those years as an editor as well. She has exclusively used Apple products for the past three decades. In addition to writing and editing at MTE, she also runs the site’s sponsored review program.
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