"Evil," says Google CEO Eric Schmidt, "is what Sergey says is evil."and also in context of these articles:
...it's difficult to say on which side of the good-evil line the company's China resolution falls. Brin seems at peace with how it all turned out.
Talking about his decisions and the values he holds most dear, Brin chooses his language carefully, but one word he repeatedly comes back to is "useful."
If Brin's code of good and evil permits the company to negotiate with sovereign governments and allows for some legal meddling from unpopular religions, there is no wiggle room - no gray area whatsoever - when it comes to those who attempt to subvert the power of Google to their own commercial ends. One thing Brin is sure of: On the side of evil lies trickery.
The fact that Google accepts advertising for adult content sites is an intriguing commentary on Brin's morality: Cigarettes and booze are evil; porn is not. It's a policy that would become progressively harder to defend were Google to go public.
What if an influential group of politically active netizens makes a rousing case for boycotting Google on the grounds that it is anti-free speech and in cahoots with repressive governments? How long can a hugely powerful company that plays its decisions so close to the vest and refuses to justify itself publicly count on the devotion of the average information-hungry Web user?
It's inevitable that a company of Google's size and influence will have to compromise on purity.
Hiding in Plain Sight, Google Seeks More Power
Google permits ads for spamware, rejects firearms-related ads
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