Evil?

May 26th, 2018| Topic: RaMbLeS | 0

Evil?

Google LLC, belonging to parent company Alphabet Inc., is a multinational American enterprise specializing in internet-related services—advertising, searches, cloud computing, software, and hardware.

From the outset, Google’s unofficial slogan was …

Don’t be evil!”

Here is the full version in Google’s Code of Conduct (Wayback Machine, April 21).

“Don’t be evil.” Googlers generally apply those words to how we serve our users. But “Don’t be evil” is much more than that. Yes, it’s about providing our users unbiased access to information, focusing on their needs and giving them the best products and services that we can. But it’s also about doing the right thing more generally—following the law, acting honorably, and treating co-workers with courtesy and respect.

The Google Code of Conduct is one of the ways we put “Don’t be evil” into practice. It’s built around the recognition that everything we do in connection with our work at Google will be, and should be, measured against the highest possible standards of ethical business conduct. We set the bar that high for practical as well as aspirational reasons: Our commitment to the highest standards helps us hire great people, build great products, and attract loyal users. Trust and mutual respect among employees and users are the foundation of our success, and they are something we need to earn every day.

So please do read the Code, and follow both its spirit and letter, always bearing in mind that each of us has a personal responsibility to incorporate, and to encourage other Googlers to incorporate, the principles of the Code into our work. And if you have a question or ever think that one of your fellow Googlers or the company as a whole may be falling short of our commitment, don’t be silent. We want—and need—to hear from you.

That’s how it read … until earlier this month. Here’s how it reads now (Wayback Machine, May 4):

The Google Code of Conduct is one of the ways we put Google’s values into practice. It’s built around the recognition that everything we do in connection with our work at Google will be, and should be, measured against the highest possible standards of ethical business conduct. We set the bar that high for practical as well as aspirational reasons: Our commitment to the highest standards helps us hire great people, build great products, and attract loyal users. Respect for our users, for the opportunity, and for each other are foundational to our success, and are something we need to support every day.

So please do read the Code and Google’s values, and follow both in spirit and letter, always bearing in mind that each of us has a personal responsibility to incorporate, and to encourage other Googlers to incorporate, the principles of the Code and values into our work. And if you have a question or ever think that one of your fellow Googlers or the company as a whole may be falling short of our commitment, don’t be silent. We want—and need—to hear from you.

The current Code of Conduct says “Last updated April 5, 2018.” Obviously not true, as the Wayback Machine dates indicate.

To Google’s credit, there is one generic reference to “don’t be evil” in the last paragraph that hasn’t changed:

And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right—speak up!”

Hmm ….

I’ll just say this:

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
3 John 1:11

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