Google Removes 'Don't Be Evil' Clause From Its Code of Conduct
Google Removes 'Don't Be Evil' Clause From Its Code of
Conduct
By Kate CongerFriday 5:31 pm
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.
Here’s the relevant section of the old code of conduct,
as archived by the Wayback Machine on April 21, 2018:
“Don’t be evil.” Googlers
generally apply those words to how we serve our users. But “Don’t be evil” is
much more than that. Yes, it’s about providing our users unbiased access to
information, focusing on their needs and giving them the best products and
services that we can. But it’s also about doing the right thing more generally
– following the law, acting honorably, and treating co-workers with courtesy
and respect.
The Google Code of Conduct is
one of the ways we put “Don’t be evil” into practice. It’s built around the
recognition that everything we do in connection with our work at Google will
be, and should be, measured against the highest possible standards of ethical
business conduct. We set the bar that high for practical as well as
aspirational reasons: Our commitment to the highest standards helps us hire
great people, build great products, and attract loyal users. Trust and mutual
respect among employees and users are the foundation of our success, and they
are something we need to earn every day.
So please do read the Code,
and follow both its spirit and letter, always bearing in mind that each of us
has a personal responsibility to incorporate, and to encourage other Googlers
to incorporate, the principles of the Code into our work. And if you have a
question or ever think that one of your fellow Googlers or the company as a
whole may be falling short of our commitment, don’t be silent. We want – and
need – to hear from you.
And here’s the updated version, first archived by the
Wayback Machine on May 4, 2018:
The Google Code of Conduct is one
of the ways we put Google’s values into practice. It’s built around the
recognition that everything we do in connection with our work at Google will
be, and should be, measured against the highest possible standards of ethical
business conduct. We set the bar that high for practical as well as
aspirational reasons: Our commitment to the highest standards helps us hire
great people, build great products, and attract loyal users. Respect for our
users, for the opportunity, and for each other are foundational to our success,
and are something we need to support every day.
So please do read the Code and
Google’s values, and follow both in spirit and letter, always bearing in mind
that each of us has a personal responsibility to incorporate, and to encourage
other Googlers to incorporate, the principles of the Code and values into our
work. And if you have a question or ever think that one of your fellow Googlers
or the company as a whole may be falling short of our commitment, don’t be
silent. We want – and need – to hear from you.
Despite this significant change, Google’s code of conduct
says it has not been updated since April 5, 2018.
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!”
We’ve reached out to Google for comment on this change and
will update this story if we hear back.
Comments
Post a Comment