Google: personal assistant, or global overlord?

Is Google evil after all?

The Internet behemoth's corporate motto famously instructs it to eschew evil. But setting a high bar like that almost inevitably makes people wait for you to miss it.

The company has been brought to task before over politics, privacy issues and its growing corporate dominance of the Web world. The latest incident to spark a backlash is an interview that CEO Eric Schmidt gave to the Financial Times, discussing Google's ambitions to "organize your life."

"The goal is to enable Google users to be able to ask the question such as 'What shall I do tomorrow?' and 'What job shall I take?'" Schmidt told the paper. One tool for doing that, he said, will be the iGoogle product, formerly known as the Personalized Home Page.

"We are very early in the total information we have within Google," Schmidt is quoted as saying. "We cannot even answer the most basic questions because we don't know enough about you. That is the most important aspect of Google's expansion."

Blog community response:

"Slowly, it is dawning upon many of us that Google is just another ruthless company competing in a ruthless winner-takes-all market, where 'don't be evil' often means 'don't be stupid'."
--MediaVidea

"In Eric Schmidt's mind, Google is still a dorkily utopian outfit that's making the world better through technology. The search engine's chief executive needs to get out more: Google's growing power makes even the most well-meaning of plans look ominous."
--Valleywag

"The messages may be mixed, but the intent seems to be focused: 'Total Global Domination'. But without being evil."
--Search Engine Watch

[john55440]

Big Brother Google

I'm not interested in having the details of my online life become part of Big Brother Google's advertising database.

I quit using Google products/services.

[Dalkorian]

well ...

Whatever you do, do NOT examine what details of your online or
offline life are being passed back to M$ (assuming you're still using
Winblows, of course). WGA is *FAR* more insideous and evil than
anything Google can come up with.

I know, nothing in the article mentioned M$ in any way, but your
comment about not being intersted in being snooped upon is
downright comical considering your past defenses of M$ business
practices (if memory serves me correctly, that is).

[Neville Bartos]

Statistical info only

Google doesn't care WHO you are. You're just another statistical number that helps gauge what advertising they're gonna show you.

It's NO different to me driving around your neighbourhood, taking note of who owns a 4WD so i can send you some appropriate advertising. I couldn't care a less who you are. Would I be invading your privacy as well?

[medinaw]

do what they say - not what they do

As far as "do no evil"??? you have to wonder - I read an article where Google is shutting down thousands of "Made for Adsense" site's to better thier position with click fruad. What erk's me - they close a bunch of small sites daily and banish them from adsense for braking rules and do not give them the money they earned - but for the "made for adsense" accounts they have closed this pass week - they announced they would allow them to keep what they earned.
If you say "do no evil" - shouldn't you apply the same rules to all who break the rules?????
Last time I check - creating a "made for adsense" website is against the 800 pound gorillas rules..........
So they condone "evil"....... when it suites them ......

[herkamur]

Knowing me, knowing you.

> "We cannot even answer the most basic questions because we don't know enough about you."

And if I have my way, you never will, Eric.