Kev Kennedy's Blog

The inadequacy of Google

One of the oft-quoted phrases of the 21st Century is Google's mission statement which says 'First, don't be evil.' That 's a laudable aim, but then Google have come under some criticism for acquiescing to Chinese government demands for search engine censorship. According to critics, that's "evil". Resolving to 'not be evil' and then being "evil" is corporate hypocrisy.

But perhaps the problem stems from the resolution. 'Don't be evil' sound very right on and caring, but in reality it's a world away from a resolution to 'Be a force for good'. It's easy to not be evil, but still be neutral; to stand by and let what's happening happen, but never intervene to try and make it stop. As another oft-quoted phrase goes: 'All that is required for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.'

In every situation we have choices, not just in how we act, but in whether to act at all. And maybe the most important choice is to decide to be more than just 'not evil'.

Created on Tue 14th April 2009 08:43