Do you think Google is evil?

[CosmicFool]

I guess the topic says it all, do you think Google's constant growth into just about every aspect of life is starting to become (possibly) evil? The more I think about this the more it scares me, heres few examples:

Google Chrome, a browser by Google that basically can monitor everything you do in the internet. Adding to this, Google Cookie ID that basically tracks every webpage you visit.

Google toolbar, same as before mentioned, tracks everything you do.

Google's phone OS; Android. Every day more and more cellular phones use Android as their OS, now if you want to get anything from the Android AppStore, every download will be bound to your possibly personal Gmail account. And for Gmail, Google "owns" all your email and potentially can lurk everything about your personal life and private emails.

Google laptops that run Google OS, which basically is a Chrome browser, and everything you do will be cloudcomputed on Googles own servers.

Google maps, streetview, youtube. The list could go on for forever, Im just scratching the surface here.


So what do you think? Alarming? I think Im soon gonna put my tinfoil hat on and retreat to a nice dark basement without any electronic gizmos.

 

[Autodidactic]

Yes, evil, though I can explain my reasoning as it falls under the umbrella of the "no conspiracy theories" censorship rule.

 

[CosmicFool]

Yeah I guess this topic is dangling on the edge of that blade. And maybe evil is not the right word, greedy would be a proper term, since big business doesnt think like a common human being.



Google shot JFK

 

[Crystalito]

Hmmmm maybe not "evil" (i.e. the do not sacrifice puppies to Yog-Sothoth for fun) maybe capitalistic though . Capitalism follows whatever floats anyone's boat as long as money is involved somewhere in the line.

 

[tetra]

Evil in the sense that all who amass more then they need take bread from others. Have they used their wealth to help people? Or just to add more gimmicks to increase their wealth and power?

 

[Dr_Sister]

If google concerns you, you don't need to use their search engine. There are others available. Same with browsers. Or you could use a proxy server.

But Sister does agree, they are becoming very pervasive. Not quite a monopoly but certainly a centralization of power. A power that could be abused. And being located in the USofA means that the US govt has access to all of their records (Patriot act?). Isn't that a reassuring thought?

But on the flip side they have an index like no other. The convenience they provide is of inestimable value.

 

[Shaolin]

If google concerns you, you don't need to use their search engine. There are others available.

Shoot.

 

[Infinite I]

If google concerns you, you don't need to use their search engine. There are others available.

Shoot.

scroogle.org

Ce domaine est peut-être à vendre!

www.scroogle.org

Each day they have different anti-google cartoons info etc. lol

 

[polytrip]

I don't know if their intentions are evil. But their lust for power isn't healthy.

Nevertheless, i think apple is much more evil. I don't understand why people are so crazy about it. It's just a brand that makes stuff like other brands do. And they don't even make it themselves, they let chinese factory's with high suicide rates among their workers..(oh, why would that be?:roll: ) produce the goods for scrap and sell it to western fashionvictims, making 90% margins.

 

[actualfactual]

google aren't saints but they can't be grouped in with halliburton and monsanto

Nevertheless, i think apple is much more evil. I don't understand why people are so crazy about it.

fanboys and sheep unable or unwilling to think for themselves.

 

[biopsylo]

google is great. i found this forum using google. the googleplex was inevitable. there has to be one to rule them all:lol:
google makes my life easier.
is google big brother?? nah.

apple evil? come on. show me a computer that is made by employees earning a fair wage with benefits. i really wish you can, cause i may change my mind. i feel it is my responsibility to use these powerful tools to make things better for everyone since i am from the first world and i can afford one. i hope i will be able to .
been using apple since the 80's. they are just better. not trying to start an argument, just my opinion.

dont have a droid or iphone, will wait till they can project holograms.

 

[Steely]

I do not believe many would disagree over, Google's grand usefulness, but as I read I understood the question to be along the lines of: Does Google, as a massive business, have any misdeeds in mind?

Can we honestly state, based on most companies founded through US, American Capitalism (ones that are anywhere near the size of Google), that Google is either, "good" or "bad?" That seems a little unfair no matter how you look at it.

I think based on the way Google treats their employees, they have good intentions in mind.

Remember that the internet is still relatively new, and hiccups will happen. (I.e. Google's screws up over gaining peoples personal information during the production of Google Maps) Can anyone comment as to if they upheld their agreement to delete the stolen information?

 

[biopsylo]

I think based on the way Google treats their employees, they have good intentions in mind.

yeah, exactly, like i heard each week they are encouraged to spend a few hours working on what ever ideas they may have, and if google adopts them then they will get compensated.

i was in mountain view, CA and got lost- ended up in googleplex. we went in one of the buildings to ask directions. the person behind the desk, offered us an organic naked juice from the cooler. this cooler is full, and free to all employees. those juices are over 4 bucks. employees are encouraged to ride bikes, we saw hundreds all painted up. security rides around on segways. it was like some sort of futuristic village with their own street signs.

but, yes this is a monetary capitalistic system, and google is reigning supreme. so should we all switch to lycos or yahoo? would it be any different? google is increasing connectivity, it a good thing.

 

[MySmelf]

Yeah, I don't trust google at all.
Scroogle is nice but I prefer Ixquick. It has more features and searches through more engines than just google.

 

[SKA]

Like Multinationals are competing all small stores away so is Google competing all smaller companies away. It's called Monopoly.
And yeah the more info 1 great multinational corporation gets in their hands, the more power it gives them. It is scary indeed.

 

[a1pha]

i was in mountain view, CA and got lost- ended up in googleplex. we went in one of the buildings to ask directions. the person behind the desk, offered us an organic naked juice from the cooler. this cooler is full, and free to all employees. those juices are over 4 bucks. employees are encouraged to ride bikes, we saw hundreds all painted up. security rides around on segways. it was like some sort of futuristic village with their own street signs.

Ah! This happened to me as well (though I was looking for the Googleplex to visit as a holy site).

Walked around on the weekend - became thirsty - asked for the Google-Fountain - the gentleman went inside and gabbed me a bottled tea.

Google isn't so bad. There's even an argument it's God!

http://www.thechurchofgoogle.org/Scripture/Proof_Google_Is_God.html

» PROOF #1

Google is the closest thing to an Omniscient (all-knowing) entity in existence, which can be scientifically verified. She indexes over 9.5 billion WebPages, which is more than any other search engine on the web today. Not only is Google the closest known entity to being Omniscient, but She also sorts through this vast amount of knowledge using Her patented PageRank technology, organizing said data and making it easily accessible to us mere mortals.

» PROOF #2

Google is everywhere at once (Omnipresent). Google is virtually everywhere on earth at the same time. Billions of indexed WebPages hosted from every corner of the earth. With the proliferation of Wi-Fi networks, one will eventually be able to access Google from anywhere on earth, truly making Her an omnipresent entity.

» PROOF #3

Google answers prayers. One can pray to Google by doing a search for whatever question or problem is plaguing them. As an example, you can quickly find information on alternative cancer treatments, ways to improve your health, new and innovative medical discoveries and generally anything that resembles a typical prayer. Ask Google and She will show you the way, but showing you is all She can do, for you must help yourself from that point on.

» PROOF #4

Google is potentially immortal. She cannot be considered a physical being such as ourselves. Her Algorithms are spread out across many servers; if any of which were taken down or damaged, another would undoubtedly take its place. Google can theoretically last forever.

» PROOF #5

Google is infinite. The Internet can theoretically grow forever, and Google will forever index its infinite growth.

» PROOF #6

Google remembers all. Google caches WebPages regularly and stores them on its massive servers. In fact, by uploading your thoughts and opinions to the internet, you will forever live on in Google's cache, even after you die, in a sort of "Google Afterlife".

» PROOF #7

Google can "do no evil" (Omnibenevolent). Part of Google's corporate philosophy is the belief that a company can make money without being evil.

» PROOF #8

According to Google trends, the term "Google" is searched for more than the terms "God", "Jesus", "Allah", "Buddha", "Christianity", "Islam", "Buddhism" and "Judaism" combined.

God is thought to be an entity in which we mortals can turn to when in a time of need. Google clearly fulfils this to a much larger degree than traditional "gods", as shown in the image below (click to enlarge).

 

[Steely]

Google isn't so bad. There's even an argument it's God!

http://www.thechurchofgoogle.org/Scripture/Proof_Google_Is_God.html

Thank you so much, that made my day just as it will for the mass of people I'm sending it to.

Just. Brilliant.

 

[joedirt]

I'm taking the counter argument here.

No they are not evil. Look at all that google provides YOU for absolutely free? Oh yeah they pepper a few adds off to the left of your search engine. But you have gmail, google docs, google scholar, google news, crap all the things in google labs.

Are they a big corporation that has made a lot of money? Yes. Did they totally revolutionize the way we interact with the internet? Yep.

Will their reign last forever? nope.

Look I'm all for checks and balances on big business as the next guy, but I just don't see it with google? As far as big corporations go I don't see them as nearly the threat as say Exxon Mobil or Haliburtun? What am I missing. I'm sure the mods will allow this conversation to continue unless we step in the realm of unfounded speculation...and even then they may let it go.

So I'm curious? What are you guy's seeing that makes you think google is evil?

 

[guesswho]

First of all I find it extremely funny that we're talking about a company whose internal motto is "Don't be evil."

Secondly, I think we have to first decide what makes something "evil". I don't think there can be a clear cut definition though, so we can never really find a clear cut answer.

I will say, however, that I believe that Google does a lot for the community. This it not just its local community in Menlo Park, CA (and their other corporate offices), but the global community. Google makes A LOT of money off advertisements, but they invest a lot of money back into the open source community. This includes, but is not limited to the Android phone OS I'm sure many of you enjoy, and facilitating the "Summer of code", which allows students to become actively involved in ongoing open source projects.

Aside from technical contributions, they support many humanitarian organizations as well. In fact, just today the Google logo links to an event (seemingly hosted by Google) in recognition of women's rights (http://www.google.com/events/iwd2011/).

With all of that said, they collect A LOT of data, and that worries me. While I can't speak to their intentions (I can't speculate on this without having some sort of evidence), the potential for wrongdoing is always there. I personally don't like the idea of a company "knowing too much". It is kind of a two-way road though, because the data they collect helps contribute to the services they provide and can help them give you exactly what you're searching for.

All in all, I think Google's contributions are more positive than negative, so if that's your definition of evil then I'd say they aren't.

 

[universecannon]

Google could be God. I'm no man to construe a proper philosophical proof, but hear me out. It has helped countless find the materials necessary to transcend into that realm beyond language and time..so its a guiding hand on the path to the divine, so to speak..it fulfills a similar purpose as jesus, the son of god, who does the same for christians...you could say.. but lets not misinterpret this savior and string him up to die, because it obviously wont be for our sins. So much dam porn is found through google shakes head

McDonalds on the other hand is synonymous with The Anti-christ