Google Reader Petition Hits 125,000 Signatures

Google Reader Petition Hits 125,000 Signatures

More than 125,000 people have signed a petition calling on Google to reinstate its Reader news aggregation tool.

Google announced last week that it was shutting down Reader, which allows users to pull updates from many different news sites into an email client-like interface. on 1 July.

Many other RSS readers of this kind exist, both as desktop apps and online services, and more than 500,000 reportedly signed up to one alternative alone in just two days after the news.

At the time Google said Reader, which launched in 2005, had to die to make room for new products:

"There are two simple reasons for this: usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we're pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience."

But for some old habits die hard - really hard, in fact.

At least eight petitions were started on the site, though Lewis' has gained by far the most attention.

His petition, started by Dan Lewis, reads:

"Our confidence in Google's other products -- Gmail, YouTube, and yes, even Plus -- requires that we trust you in respecting how and why we use your other products.

This isn't just about our data in Reader. This is about us using your product because we love it, because it makes our lives better, and because we trust you not to nuke it."

However, currently the petition is just a means to express frustration - Google has given no indication it will listen to its users' anger and reinstate the product, no matter how many signatures Lewis gains.

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