Monday, July 04, 2011

FTC launches investigation of Google

More scrutiny for Google. I hope it starts to filter through to people sometime soon that Google is a publicly traded corporation that is just like any other profit making entity. First and foremost they are there to make a profit for their shareholders and they will do whatever they need to to make that profit.

They are as ethical/unethical as any other such corporation. So keep that in mind when you use their services.

Here is the story: FTC launches investigation of Google.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I am deeply embedded in Google services and am constantly aware of the threat that actions taken "for the sake of the shareholders" represents.

Two things crossed my mind when I read your comment,"They are as ethical/unethical as any other such corporation. So keep that in mind when you use their services."

First: That's a really broad generalization.

And second: Google's management, from the publicly available evidence, is far above the average on the scale of multinational corporation ethics.

You're likely just warning people that the economic system doesn't ensure (or even encourage) ethical behavior from corporations and we should all take care and I agree.

I would like to go on a rant here about comparing Microsoft's criminal business practices to Google (as was done in the linked article and pretty much every article in this vein), but I'll hold myself back.

If (and likely, when) Google starts heading down the path of evil I hope to catch on to it early, but for right now, I think they're doin' all right.