Posted on 04/23/2007 12:49:49 PM PDT by SirLinksalot
I've been pretty tough on Google.
In my newest book, "Stop the Presses! The Inside Story of the New Media Revolution," I make the case – and, I think, a pretty darn good one – that the premier Internet search engine company is evil.
I won't try to recap all of my evidence, but you can get a good taste of it by reading a news story prepared by my colleagues here at WND.
What pushed me over the edge with Google, however, was clearly the way the company kowtowed to the tyrants in Beijing out of a sense of pure greed.
When China told Google Internet searches by its people should not bring up pro-democracy and pro-freedom information that could be used to stir hope in the hearts of its population of 1 billion slaves, the company dutifully complied.
Remarkable for a company whose slogan is, unbelievably, "Don't Be Evil."
But I don't want to trash Google today. I'll leave that to a chapter in my book.
I didn't come to bury Google today, I actually came to praise it – conditionally, that is.
It seems the "Don't Be Evil" people are actually working with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to shed light on the genocidal atrocities in Sudan.
The goal of the project is to inform and motivate users to help governments and other groups deal with the humanitarian crisis there. It is estimated that more than 2 million people have been uprooted and 200,000 killed in Sudan since 2003.
That is certainly a worthwhile and commendable project.
Google's contribution to the cause will allow those who have downloaded free software to focus on satellite images of the Darfur region. Flaming icons represent destroyed villages and tents represent refugee camps.
Google even enhanced the resolution for certain areas of the region so people can see for themselves the burned remnants of house and churches.
What can I say? This is a good thing – uncharacteristically non-evil.
Why would a company with no moral bearings do something so wonderful?
I thought about this. And I think I know the answer.
Google does not care about winning the Sudan market. It is a no-lose effort for Google – lots of good publicity, no downside.
But to prove to you that Google is still the immoral, evil company I describe in "Stop the Presses!," let me give you an example of how the company will not use this same technology to shed light on another equivalent atrocity.
Google's buddies in the government of China, a market the company does care about, have also forcibly moved millions of people for its own purposes. In fact, this forced population relocation effort is still under way in many parts of the country – even in the nation's capital of Beijing as China prepares to host the Olympics.
These horrific human rights abuses have received even less public attention and media scrutiny than the genocide in Darfur.
And you can bet Google will not use its technological prowess to sharpen satellite images so the whole world can see what the brutes in Beijing have done to victimize their own populace.
In other words, Google will expose evil to the world if there is no cost to the company. But if exposing evil conflicts with Google's business plan, then the company will become an active participant in that evil – as it does with China.
So I guess we're right back where we started. I'm glad Google is not condoning evil everywhere. I'm glad it is not covering up evil for the sake of covering up evil. But what can you say about a company that puts its bottom line first and human decency a distant second?
I guess you'd have to conclude it is evil.
Depending on one search engine is dangerous. I plead guilty of using them way too much. We need more competition and to stimulate the competition is easy as using other search engines.
I’m closer to one of the 2 following conclusions:
1) Farah knows nothing of how capitalism works, or
2) he is not a fan of capitalism.
Despite their motto, Google is clearly not an altruistic business
I don’t mean to be flip, but can you let me know which companies in the Fortune 500 are altruistic businessess, and what it is that each of them does that makes them altruistic?
google still reads your email and your blog and knows basically what you’re thinking, insofar as clues to it are contained in those things. Oh, and, as the second poster pointed out, in your search keywords, too.
altruistic: "unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others"
business: "an occupation, profession, or trade"
Great, dictionary definitions. You’re probably one of those people who makes bets for “10 bucks” and then when they lose, make a joke about deer or somesuch.
you were the one making the wise crack comment not me...and ironically, it suggested your inability to use the dictionary..
btt
How can Goggle read my e-mail?
again, you apparently aren't so familiar with dictionaries. I quoted the first definition for you...but yes, there are lots of others for "business",like:
2.the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit.
3.a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service; profit-seeking enterprise or concern
please excuse me if I have offended you again for quoting a dictionary...
I "seriously" think Google is a company which founded itself as some sort of idealistic venture, which claimed to try and "Do No Evil". They have now outed themselves with greedy opportunistic capitalistic methods that expose a clear sense to not care whether they are evil. The article points this out I felt.
Simple fact, Google's claim to "do no evil" is a perverted marketing scheme.
An altruistic business? Seems obvious to me, but I will "point some out" for you. Boy Scouts. Roman Catholic Church. I'd guess thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses across this great country.
One doesn't have to be greedy to be a successful business.
open a gmail account. send some emails. see the ads that start showing up.
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