Google goes Evil

This is one article out of many that explains it all.

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Google wasn't evil before?

Dr. Professor Science wrote:

Google wasn't evil before?

But they let you take a year maternity leave with full pay and they pay benefits for same-sex couples!

But yeah, no, now they're just... evil.

Dr. Professor Science wrote:

Google wasn't evil before?

The interesting and depressing thing about Google is that, despite all evidence to the contrary, they achieved a reputation for not being evil simply by saying that they weren't.

Yeah, after I heard that they essentially remember and store whatever search you make on their engine for a long, long time, I started to use Yahoo a lot more (not sure if they do the same thing, though )

And it's not like I search really creepy, terrible things, it just tweaks me out that they do that.

Seule wrote:

Dr. Professor Science wrote:

Google wasn't evil before?

The interesting and depressing thing about Google is that, despite all evidence to the contrary, they achieved a reputation for not being evil simply by saying that they weren't.

This is true and it hurts me inside.

I need to go find that blog by the guy who used to work at Google who's cutting apart their policies and explaining what's scary about them.

Admittedly, their going against China was technically a Good Thing, though it did show that Google is more powerful than China. Or, at least, they're powerful enough to completely disregard them. Brr.

See, I just want to work for them.

What?

I want to be the power, not fight it.

Dr. Professor Science wrote:

Admittedly, their going against China was technically a Good Thing, though it did show that Google is more powerful than China. Or, at least, they're powerful enough to completely disregard them. Brr.

I admit I'm not terribly familiar with the aftermath of the whole Google vs. China debacle, but my understanding was that it ended in a near-miss by both companies; China renewed Google's license, and in turn Google agreed to continue censoring its search queries (though they kept a link which allows users to redirect to the unrestricted Hong Kong Google website) and to not provide "lawbreaking content". That doesn't quite sound like Google was able to "completely disregard" China, though making China flinch may be a small victory in itself.

What's with all these hos wanting my internets in their slimey fingers GTFO HOS MY INTERNETS MINE

TheHermit wrote:

Dr. Professor Science wrote:

Admittedly, their going against China was technically a Good Thing, though it did show that Google is more powerful than China. Or, at least, they're powerful enough to completely disregard them. Brr.

I admit I'm not terribly familiar with the aftermath of the whole Google vs. China debacle, but my understanding was that it ended in a near-miss by both companies; China renewed Google's license, and in turn Google agreed to continue censoring its search queries (though they kept a link which allows users to redirect to the unrestricted Hong Kong Google website) and to not provide "lawbreaking content". That doesn't quite sound like Google was able to "completely disregard" China, though making China flinch may be a small victory in itself.

Hush, you, I decided I needed to sound more like Cracked.

Dr. Quinzel wrote:

Yeah, after I heard that they essentially remember and store whatever search you make on their engine for a long, long time, I started to use Yahoo a lot more (not sure if they do the same thing, though )

And it's not like I search really creepy, terrible things, it just tweaks me out that they do that.

...well, then.

Hmmm.

... I shall also start using Yahoo, then.

Verandering wrote:

GTFO HOS MY INTERNETS MINE

ES IST MEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIN NETS

Anyway, do they store it on the servers without any ID attached, or can searches be tracked back to individual users? I don't really care either way (plus, starting a search on google and seeing what disturbing crap sometimes comes up is funny) since nobody on Google's end probably cares either, and even if it does get leaked like that one time with AOL I can't be tracked down by my searches alone.

Sutremaine wrote:

Verandering wrote:

GTFO HOS MY INTERNETS MINE

ES IST MEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIN NETS

Anyway, do they store it on the servers without any ID attached, or can searches be tracked back to individual users? I don't really care either way (plus, starting a search on google and seeing what disturbing crap sometimes comes up is funny) since nobody on Google's end probably cares either, and even if it does get leaked like that one time with AOL I can't be tracked down by my searches alone.

I don't know if the searcher can be IDed, but I don't trust it in the slightest. People can come up with the craziest reasons for persecuting others over what they search for, even if it harms absolutely no one (for example, suppose you looked up stuff on your employer's rival from the privacy of your own home, and they got that information from Google and decided to fire you for it).

Lady Anne wrote:

People can come up with the craziest reasons for persecuting others over what they search for, even if it harms absolutely no one (for example, suppose you looked up stuff on your employer's rival from the privacy of your own home, and they got that information from Google and decided to fire you for it).

Weird example. Usually, we surf the competition's websites overtly - just as they are all over our own. Know thy enemy and all that.

The Unoriginal wrote:

Lady Anne wrote:

People can come up with the craziest reasons for persecuting others over what they search for, even if it harms absolutely no one (for example, suppose you looked up stuff on your employer's rival from the privacy of your own home, and they got that information from Google and decided to fire you for it).

Weird example. Usually, we surf the competition's websites overtly - just as they are all over our own. Know thy enemy and all that.

I used to work for a company that made us sign contracts saying we wouldn't buy from their competitors--which as far as they were concerned was everyone (for example, even though they weren't in the grocery business, they considered grocery stores their competitors). Now, suppose an employer like this caught you buying something over the Internet.

Lady Anne wrote:

The Unoriginal wrote:

Lady Anne wrote:

People can come up with the craziest reasons for persecuting others over what they search for, even if it harms absolutely no one (for example, suppose you looked up stuff on your employer's rival from the privacy of your own home, and they got that information from Google and decided to fire you for it).

Weird example. Usually, we surf the competition's websites overtly - just as they are all over our own. Know thy enemy and all that.

I used to work for a company that made us sign contracts saying we wouldn't buy from their competitors--which as far as they were concerned was everyone (for example, even though they weren't in the grocery business, they considered grocery stores their competitors). Now, suppose an employer like this caught you buying something over the Internet.

You're the retard who's so unbelievably useless you can only get work at a place like that. People who actually PASS college algebra will always have a job as algebra tutor if nothing else.

Lady Anne wrote:

I used to work for a company that made us sign contracts saying we wouldn't buy from their competitors--which as far as they were concerned was everyone (for example, even though they weren't in the grocery business, they considered grocery stores their competitors). Now, suppose an employer like this caught you buying something over the Internet.

Most of those kinds of provisions in a employment contract aren't enforceable.

Spotts1701 wrote:

Lady Anne wrote:

I used to work for a company that made us sign contracts saying we wouldn't buy from their competitors--which as far as they were concerned was everyone (for example, even though they weren't in the grocery business, they considered grocery stores their competitors). Now, suppose an employer like this caught you buying something over the Internet.

Most of those kinds of provisions in a employment contract aren't enforceable.

Conversely though, if you live in an at-will state, they can kick you out regardless, can't they?

I don't know why aren't the conspiracy theory nutjobs all talking about Google. It's an unbelievably rich, mysterious company that controls the flow of information and already showed to be willing to participate in censorship.

Exodia's Right Leg wrote:

I don't know why aren't the conspiracy theory nutjobs all talking about Google. It's an unbelievably rich, mysterious company that controls the flow of information and already showed to be willing to participate in censorship.

Google is conspiring to censor anything the conspiracy theorists say about it.