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“Don’t be evil” has long been regarded as Google’s unofficial slogan. The phrase has been in the company’s code of conduct since 2000, and it even serves as the Wi-Fi password on shuttles that Google use to transport employees to its Mountain View headquarters.
However, diligent observers have noticed the phrase disappearing from the tech giant’s code of conduct over the past few weeks.
Tech website Gizmodo has noted that the quiet change was made some time in April or May of this year.
As recently as April 21, 2018, the code of conduct included this passage:
“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.
However, on May 4, the above references to evil and not being evil had been removed from the code of conduct:
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.
The phrase is still carried in the final line of the document, which reads: “And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!”
Google is yet to release a statement to accompany the change.
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