Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Do Not Boycott Google

Over on the Ooze forums some user posted a message about the evil of Google and their agreements with the Chinese government. I made some comments about why I thought Google made the right decision and was attacked (as I expected) using the argument that Google claims to not be all about the profits.... I am posting my response because I think it is darn well thought out and written. If you would rather read it in context. Here is the thread on the Ooze. Otherwise my response is quoted below:

If you are refering to "Do No Evil" the unofficial company motto I think that is different than saying "were not about dollars." I believe Google's success has been built on the golden rule. When Evan Williams (founder of Blogger) left Google he prasied the company for how well they had cared for him and his staff after their purchase by Google. Blogger has to be one of Google's most profitable properties, and they integrated it into a part of the Google family, the way any entrepenuer would want himself and his staff to be treated.

I believe there are other not as high profile examples that could also demonstrate how Google lives into theit "Do No Evil" pledge while still focusing on profits and market growth.

So as to an agreement with a foreign government... I do not consider their agreement to be evil in the least. Aquiring market growth under the terms of the host government is just sound business. It would not be sound business to open a retail store in Illinois and refuse to pay sales tax because a portion of that tax goes to pay Jesse White (our crooked sec of state) salary. It would not be sound business because the state would close me in no time, and I would have no retail income. Just as IL says if you want to operate a retail store in IL use must pay sales tax on your IL sales, China says, if you want to operate a search engine in China you must block these search terms on your Chinese searches. This is not evil it is compliance.

I think it is arrogant of American's to think Google should have not entered the Chinese business market because their standards and policies differ from our standards and policies.

If you personally want to boycott Google based on this arrogance, please boycott ALL companies who do business in China, since all companies make concessions to Chinese authorities. In fact you should boycott all companies who do business outside the US since, since each makes concession with all local authorities (Even the bastian of Americanism McDonalds french fries are prepared differently in some nations to comply with local law).


A few days ago my brother linked to a PC Magazine article where Dvorak argues his defense of Google.

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