Subscribe to Desicritics
Just Don't Say "Don't Be Evil"
Chaitanya Gupta
That's all I ask of Google. Enough has been said about Google's decision to censor their Chinese search engine. And yes, I am angry at Google for selling out to the Chinese government. But what peeves me the most is that it is still hiding behind its motto, "Don't be evil".
Come on now, if this is what you do to your users, then according to your own principles, its nothing but evil. Yes, you have to make compromises in business, its all part of the game, but atleast don't lie about your stand. Google is a public company now, and you have to take care of your shareholders, I can understand that. Whatever your principles maybe, the moment you went plublic (or the moment you saw the $$), we should have expected change.
Google is going the MS and Yahoo way, but it is still the company with a difference. Your search is still the best, your products are kickass, you still treat your users way better than the other two, and as long as Google remains in Larry and Sergey's hands, I believe that's how things will stay. But some things have changed (and are changing), and one of them is that your first principle, "Focus on the user and all else will follow" is slowly moving towards "Focus on money and all else will follow". And your sixth principle "You can make money without doing evil", doesn't really hold anymore.
So, once again, even though I don't appreciate what you have done, I do understand. Common business sense rules. Its an evil world out there, and you are part of it. Come clean, Larry and Sergey, don't profess to be saints if you'll be following the devil. Just don't say "Don't be evil" anymore, and that is what I will appreciate.
Just Don't Say "Don't Be Evil"
RSS:
- Subscribe to RSS 2.0 feeds for:
- » Comments on this article
- » BizTech
- » BizTech: Economics
- » BizTech: Companies
- » Desicritics.org articles by Chaitanya Gupta
- » All Opinion articles
- » All Desicritics.org articles
Aaman
URL
January 27, 2006
02:01 PM
Great post, business revenue always trumps business ethics
Chaitanya
URL
January 27, 2006
02:12 PM
Great post, business revenue always trumps business ethics
I really believed Google would prove this statement wrong... what they have done is proved it correct, far more effectively than anyone else I can think of.
DrPolitics
URL
January 27, 2006
02:14 PM
The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles.
Ayn Rand, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, 1966
US (Russian-born) novelist (1905 - 1982)
satya
URL
January 27, 2006
02:25 PM
Great post. I have similar opinions as you. Sergei and Larry has bigger stake as they are the largest share holders. Nothing matters except profit.
Suyog
URL
January 27, 2006
02:32 PM
I am so disappointed with google. There was a time that was a time when ppl thought google would be a company rest of the world would look forward to in how to conduct business and be ethical at the same time.
However, as said, business and money rules. I think google has become so big and egoistic that they now find a need to be one up over MS and Yahoo, however stupid level they need to stoop down to.
Here's another excellent link - google is also cleaning up its tracks quickly.
http://blog.outer-court.com/archive/2006-01-27-n30.html
The cleaned up their help entry too which once boasted about how they never censor any search item. In future, we should not be surprised, if they eventually claim they do read our emails hehe!!
Excellent post.
Suyog
satya
URL
January 27, 2006
02:37 PM
Sergei is coming up with some rubbish explanation that 'some' information is better than 'no' information.
So 'some' information about Chinese Tea is better than 'no' human rights information.
Excellent Sergei, keep it up !!
w o
January 27, 2006
03:50 PM
If "don't be evil" applied to people's political views, google should just disable access to all USA users and be done with it.
Not endorsing any political agenda is the least evil thing google can do.
Aaman
URL
January 27, 2006
09:07 PM
A funny cartoon on the topic
Just a note - please put all URLs in comments as links
Ambar
URL
January 28, 2006
10:51 AM
What does "evil" mean in the context of a profit-seeking business?
Chaitanya
URL
January 28, 2006
12:26 PM
For a profit-seeking business, there's no evil in what Google did. But the first principle of Google was that its users first, not profits... look at things from this angle, and what they did is evil.
Its interesting that Bill Gates has defended Google's actions. What can I say? Evil only endorses Evil...
Sabarish
URL
January 28, 2006
04:30 PM
Nice post. In the end money matters most.
Already people seem to love calling google evil and this may just catch on.
cow tse tung
URL
January 29, 2006
10:16 AM
Google: Evil or Not?
From a practical PoV, I don't think proactive regulatory compliance is all that bad. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When they could defy, they did. Sensible company.
Aaman
URL
January 29, 2006
10:26 AM
That's a cool link - thanks
Anil
URL
January 29, 2006
10:53 AM
"Don't be Evil- Unless it is profitable."
Et tu, Google.
cow tse tung
URL
January 30, 2006
06:10 AM
Thanks Aaman - they're heaps of Google-haters out there. Just don't Google them though - the results might be skewed ;-)
Add your comment