Be evil; just don’t claim you’re not

I had always harboured a healthy suspicion of Google’s motto.  Don’t be evil is an admirable maxim, one that should be supported by admirable actions in support of its principle.

Google’s recent acquiescence to Beijing’s demands on censoring the content displayed by its worlds leading search engine (to users in China), has meant its name will be added to the list - including Yahoo and Microsoft – of neutered companies who have complied with the Communist leaderships demands.

Business is business, and China is a market that big players cannot ignore.  Google like all businesses must relent to the reality of reconciling shareholder value with its founder’s altruistic values. However this does not mean that Google should be beyond being called into account for the hypocrisy of portraying its corporate values as superior to its rivals.  Google has become no better than its competitors and should therefore drop its holier than thou axiom.

It is deeply reprehensible that freedom has yet again been sacrificed for profit – no surprise there – and corporate decisions have strengthened the hand of totalitarian regimes.  As consumers we should make our choices based on those businesses that adhere to our values, we should avoid brands and suppliers that change their operation to suit suppressive and malevolent dictatorships.