[LINK] [PRIVACY] Google Don't Be Evil (Re: Google Secret Privacy Document Leaked)

[Roger Clarke]

G'day Jord

At 14:59 +1000 11/8/10, thoughtmaybe.com wrote:
>Google loves to repeatedly state that it's motto, philosophy or 
>'guideline' is "Don't Be Evil" in some way or another ...
>Surely it would be fair to say that the Google motto *is* "Don't Be 
>Evil" since they repeatedly say so themselves?

Acccording to the Macquarie, a motto is a 'maxim adopted ...'.

Where's the evidence that the corporation has in a meaningful sense adopted it?

You reckon you've seen evidence;  but all I see is naive journos 
parroting it for them, not Google making commitments to it.

As mentioned, there is a statement on the site about "our informal 
corporate motto" - and the effect of the key word 'informal' is to 
qualify the statement out of existence.

In any case, even if it were a motto adopted in some meaningful 
manner, what assurance would it provide?

In Australia, we're in the realm of misrepresentations under s.52 of 
the Trade Practices Act;  and there's something similar in the US.

But there's not a hope in hades of any such burble being interpreted 
by any court as being a statement that the company has to live up to. 
So there's no assurance whatsoever.

Regards  ...  Roger

-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
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Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University