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If it is true that, following the display of the subject tweets, "all the momentum and sympathy swung in the direction of management," then the so-called leaks are actually of benefit to Google.

"Where I come from, that means you're about to steal a mirror."

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That's an excellent point: they get a lot of potential benefits

1. A business reason to not divulge sensitive details about any projects in future meetings.

2. Employee support for 1.

3. Actually being able to keep employees in the dark about this Google Search in China endeavor.

Now, the questions that present themselves are:

1. Was the leak planned to have that effect?

2. Was the leak planned and/or executed by one or more members of Google's management team?

If there's anything that's become obvious over the last decade or so, it's that leaks are going to happen.

If upper management don't divulge it themselves during meetings or to the press, they'll lose a chance to try to be the first to frame the issue, control the narrative and spin it in their favor.

And thus qanon was born.

Let's not rush too quickly into conspiracy theories and false flags.

"Who stands to benefit from this?" is the easiest way to determine any leak's source.

Assuming all actors are rational, which they often are not.

Rational and have perfect knowledge of consequences.

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