If the Global Peace Index were to apply not only to countries, but also to companies, Google would be joining China at the very bottom ranking.
No-one should’ve felt comfortable with Google’s decision to entertain the censorship demon that is China back in 2005, but Sergey Brin’s recent comments at Davos just scored them a big fat zero.
In answer to a question whether he regretted Google’s decision to modify its search engine when they launched in China, Sergey said, “On a business level, that decision to censor…was a net negative.”
Hang your head in shame, Sergey. From a business point of view, Google.cn has been a disaster – get over it. Correct your status as a brand that stands above evil or be done — you are already on a slippery slope.
Michael Arrington sums up the feeling out there…Google isn’t saying they regret the decision because it was the wrong thing to do, and helps prop up a government that continues to violate the human rights of its own people…Google needs to say they regret working with the Chinese government because that government is evil, not because it turned out to be a ‘net negative’ business decision.
Yoick - Hightechwire 
Ah, well said. Google is inevitably going to hoist itself on its own petard.
Here’s something from the ethics corner (Georgetown Grad…gotta hold up the Jesuits). The problem with an incredibly powerful corporate organization making “evil, not evil” decisions is that as it becomes hegemonic, it also grows a habit of dictating what is evil. The worm turns as the power of Google grows.
Sadly, it is possible that Google’s current “strictly business” response is the only one it can make. The good intentions of the small startup that wanted to set a different standard for business is running smack into the law of unintended outcomes.
A warning to startups that have self-righteous leanings: Think ahead to when you have to the day of success when you have live up to the expectations you set now.