Google: Now 10% more evil

[Melodybe]

http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2005/mft05080811.htm?ref=foolwatch

For proof, look no further than CEO Eric Schmidt's Putin-esque blacklist of CNET Networks (Nasdaq: CNET) last week. Upset that the firm would dare publicize (some pretty benign) personal information about him -- reportedly gleaned by using Google's own search engine -- Google informed the CNET news wing that it would be punishing it with a one-year press freeze.

To be realistic, this kind of thing happens all the time in the corporate world. As companies get large, rich, and powerful, the people running them feel like they're above the restrictions that afflict the rest of us plebs. With enough money, lawyers, and lobbyists, you can pretty much make your own rules.

On the other hand, the public's distaste for this brand of arrogant, no-holds-barred capitalism is exactly the nonconformist vibe that Google has tried to exploit with its famous "do no evil" claim. That's why it's so interesting to see the company flouting the spirit of its law, if not the letter, so soon.

[Alpharetta]

1. arrogance

The more arrogant an information source is, the less ashamed they are to admit they stack the cards. FoxNews, for example.

In Google's case, the arrogance builds public awareness Google stacks data for economic, political or emotional purposes.

news.google.com, for example, is not some fine-tuned piece of software. it is edited. Stories on the front page are hand-picked.

The more they play power games, the more power Google loses.

[Lannes]

2. Good Post

On the surface they project themselves as laid back,easy going nice guys
who made it big but with each new revelation they are getting worrisome.

[wli]

3. what Putin did was right; this is wrong

[wrlwnd]

4. Google rocks n/t

[KurtNYC]

5. We should have our own search engine: Blue-ggle.com

Google is so over-valued it is scary and now their CEO is going to mess with the results over his personal issue?

[Lannes]

6. BTW ever see the movie "Anti Trust"?

The main character is modeled after Bill Gates but its sounding more like google with each new revelation.

[peacetalksforall]

7. Not so long ago, people were saying it was a blue company? Who

do you all recommend if Google goes the giant corp path (or who are you already using)?

[firefox]

8. Google is becoming the Internet's billboard

I keep wondering when GMail is supposed to start. Then they will have information to sell the government.