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posted by Fnord666 on Monday May 21 2018, @12:42AM   Printer-friendly
from the ex-post-facto dept.

A number of soylentils have written in to let us know that Google is opening up the possibility of being evil by eliminating it from their code of conduct. You've been warned.

"Don't be Evil" Starting to Disappear From Google's Code of Conduct

Google Removes 'Don't Be Evil' Clause From Its Code of Conduct

Google's unofficial motto has long been the simple phrase "don't be evil." But that's over, according to the code of conduct that Google distributes to its employees. The phrase was removed sometime in late April or early May, archives hosted by the Wayback Machine show.

[...] The updated version of Google's code of conduct still retains one reference to the company's unofficial motto—the final line of the document is still: "And remember... don't be evil, and if you see something that you think isn't right – speak up!"

April 21 vs. May 4.

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Google to eliminate the "don't be evil"

According to Gizmodo, Google will remove it's "Don't Be Evil" from its code of conduct.

Google's unofficial motto has long been the simple phrase "don't be evil." But that's over, according to the code of conduct that Google distributes to its employees. The phrase was removed sometime in late April or early May, archives hosted by the Wayback Machine show.

"Don't be evil" has been part of the company's corporate code of conduct since 2000. When Google was reorganized under a new parent company, Alphabet, in 2015, Alphabet assumed a slightly adjusted version of the motto, "do the right thing." However, Google retained its original "don't be evil" language until the past several weeks. The phrase has been deeply incorporated into Google's company culture—so much so that a version of the phrase has served as the wifi password on the shuttles that Google uses to ferry its employees to its Mountain View headquarters, sources told Gizmodo.

Based on TFA, I think I would venture a guess that the new WiFi password is "be evil" ?

Previously I wasn't confused. Google wasn't evil, because they said they weren't evil. And they wouldn't lie because they are not evil. I know they are not evil, because they say so, and they wouldn't lie about it.


Original Submission #1Original Submission #2

 
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  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Monday May 21 2018, @02:49PM (1 child)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday May 21 2018, @02:49PM (#682199) Journal
    The CIA had a manual [cia.gov] for sabotaging organizations without getting caught. For example:

    Managers and Supervisors: To lower morale and production, be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Discriminate against efficient workers; complain unjustly about their work.

    Employees: Work slowly. Think of ways to increase the number of movements needed to do your job: use a light hammer instead of a heavy one; try to make a small wrench do instead of a big one.

    Organizations and Conferences: When possible, refer all matters to committees, for "further study and consideration." Attempt to make the committees as large and bureaucratic as possible. Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.

    The last one in particular is very risk-free. Including more people in decision-making processes is easy to justify, particularly when the consequences of the resulting indecision accrue to some hapless coworker.

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  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by infodragon on Monday May 21 2018, @05:37PM

    by infodragon (3509) on Monday May 21 2018, @05:37PM (#682285)

    As I read the 3 points you quote above I had a feeling of dread as memories of GM rose to the surface! I worked there all of 6 months, 1998. It was the Auburn Hills MI facility in which we were starting the design of software to model the manufacturing process in the attempt to automate as much as possible.

    The more someone shined the more complaints they had against them.
    Everybody attempted to work slowly, *EVERYBODY* Consultants even more than most!
    It took 20+ people to make a decision and only one to kill that same decision. 20 was the smallest group I saw, others were much bigger and only groups could make a decision that affected more than one person.

    I watched them send a PhD on a training trip and while he was gone reorged his group and terminated him when he got back. Doesn't matter if it was justified or not the impact on moral was extremely negative due to the means in which someone was treated!

    --
    Don't settle for shampoo, demand real poo!