Hacker News Reader

Comment by clock_tower | Hacker News Reader

"Don't Be Evil" was basic PR: figure out what you're most hated for, and loudly, repeatedly insist that you're the opposite of it. Delta promises comfort and ease in coach, which should only remind you of how hellish that experience can be; Google bragging that they weren't evil should've been an instant red flag.

View on HN

I don't know ... I fly Delta coach twice a week and it's pretty comfy, and I'm a big guy. Also 'don't be evil' was around before anyone really hated Google for anything. I think they actually meant it at the time. I like a good dose of cynicism as much as the next guy but we should give credit where it's due.

They don't call it PR doublespeak for nothing.

The continuing repetition of this PR catch phrase by Google fans as "proof" that Google is benevolent is mindblowing to me.

Well, I've read that Google coded XKeyscore for the NSA. And in retrospect, Shumeet Baluja's The Silicon Jungle almost confirms it.

Ha, that's a great SV hit piece title. Will look into

I wouldn't be at all surprised if that was true, particularly given Google's incredibly close relationship and revolving door with the government. I haven't read The Silicon Jungle, but I might have to do that now.

It's a great book.

"Shumeet Baluja, Ph.D., is currently a Senior Staff Research Scientist at Google..."

https://research.google.com/pubs/author35.html

Didn't they change it besides?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com