Google Removes 'Don't Be Evil' Clause From Its Code of Conduct
tangor
10:18 am on May 21, 2018 (gmt 0)
Google’s unofficial motto has long been the simple phrase “don’t be evil.” But that’s over, according to the code of conduct that Google distributes to its employees. The phrase was removed sometime in late April or early May, archives hosted by the Wayback Machine show.
“Don’t be evil” has been part of the company’s corporate code of conduct since 2000. When Google was reorganized under a new parent company, Alphabet, in 2015, Alphabet assumed a slightly adjusted version of the motto, “do the right thing.” However, Google retained its original “don’t be evil” language until the past several weeks. The phrase has been deeply incorporated into Google’s company culture—so much so that a version of the phrase has served as the wifi password on the shuttles that Google uses to ferry its employees to its Mountain View headquarters, sources told Gizmodo.
Anyone tied so closely to Google can't be completely neutral. If I want to know what is actually going on, I'm not going rely on a source that is so closely dependent on Google for income revenues. Let's leave the legitimate journalism to the publications that have no vested interest.
If Google dropped the "evil" to the bottom of the page? Isn't that ironic. Where does Google put the trusted sites in the SERPS. Hint: at the top. Where to the less trusted sites go? Hint: the bottom of the page. There is a sweet irony in this story.
robzilla
10:40 pm on May 21, 2018 (gmt 0)
I'd call that far-fetched irony ;-)
goodroi
4:53 pm on May 22, 2018 (gmt 0)
Mods Note Let's be careful to respect other members even if we disagree with them.
My own personal observation: focusing on the wording for Google's code of conduct is not very profitable. I rarely read the code of conduct when I worked in corporate companies and I doubt most Google employees will change their behavior because the wording changed. I care much more about dissecting the wording of Google's quality raters handbook or the Adsense TOS.
engine
5:48 pm on May 23, 2018 (gmt 0)
For completeness, and the facts, here is the link to the Code of Conduct, and here is the new statement. Please note, don't be evil is still there, but moved right to the end.
And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!
lets forget the code of conduct for a moment.. what about their webmaster guidelines where they state "link to me and I'll link to you" is a link scheme. Doesn't seem like a scheme to me. Sounds more like restraint of trade. thoughts?
tangor
4:35 am on Jun 27, 2018 (gmt 0)
No worries. There's still a don't be evil aspect to g. After all the employees are in near revolt being asked to code anything for US Military or US ICE operations. Gotta be some don't be evil in there somewhere.
As always, when a catch phrase with high ideals meets reality some odd things will occur. That said, actions speak louder than words and all we have to do is SEE what g does and make a determination.
