Actually, it has already changed it from “Don’t be evil” to “Do the right thing”.
Regardless, the contents of a leaked memo suggest the mottos are to be considered more a guideline than a non-negotiable rule.
Google has allegedly created a search engine that would censor information that the Chinese government finds objectionable. The memo shows that Google planned to require users to log in to perform searches and the software would then track their location. The memo also said that Google would share Chinese users’ search information with a third-party Chinese company, which could then be available to government authorities.
Oh, that’s nice of them. What might be the consequences of Google handing details of an individual’s search history to a “private company” (if such a thing actually exists in China)?
Nothing to be concerned about, I’m sure. China’s record on human rights and the integrity of their legal system is so impeccable after all.
Bill’s Opinion
I’ve recently been considering weaning myself off Google products.
Despite what people might suggest, they don’t actually have a monopoly on providing many of the services we use on a day to day basis.
The response by Google to the James Damore memo was a major indication that the company has stopped taking their motto(s) seriously.
If this latest leak is correct, perhaps now is the time to find another mail, maps and internet search provider.
If you find one please let us know.
Which service do you think isn’t available from a competitor of Google?
Maybe that sounded sniffy, but it was meant totally sincere. Mail is possible, maps maybe, but I haven’t found any internet search to offer comparable results. And smartphone OS? Ubuntu Phone never really got useable imho…
Once I’ve made the switch I’ll let you know.
I’m just dropping Google, I doubt I’ll be able to avoid Microsoft and Apple.
Android is Google.
Soylent Green is People.
I use Yahoo mail and search engine. Five years ago Google was THE search engine. Now Yahoo has caught up and in some ways is better. Yahoo mail has a couple of features that make me prefer it to Outlook. Yahoo News is of course as pink as it gets and to maintain my sanity I never use it as my news aggregator.
I have worked most of my life for small companies, family-owned or partnerships, and have seen that great success and wealth induce social rabies. They become not very nice people. Or like Alexander the Great whose syphilis drove him round the twist before killing him. As a capitalist I applaud the Googles, Amazons and Apples but as a champion of the little guy, I fear the degree of mind-control that the leaders of these companies are visibly striving for. They want to become dictators.
Your second paragraph just described O’Sullivan’s Law.
The moment HR has a representative at the top table, an organisation is screwed.