¿Se ha pasado Google al lado oscuro? Su lema ‘Don’t Be Evil’ desaparece de su Código de Conducta

Durante años, el lema de Google ha sido la famosa frase «Don’t Be Evil» (No Seas Malo), pero la compañía ha eliminado ahora esta frase de su Código de Conducta.

El pasado viernes, Gizmodo detectó que la frase «Don’t Be Evil» que ha formado parte del Código de Conducta de Google desde el año 2000 ha sido eliminada en algún momento de abril o mayo, según Wayback Machine, el popular servicio que guarda una especie de archivo de Internet.

Si nos remontamos al 21 de abril de 2018 mediante Wayback Machine, vemos que la frase todavía estaba presente en el Código de Conducta:

«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.

El Código de Conducta también acababa con la frase«…And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!» («…Y recuerda… no seas malo, y si ves algo que crees que no es correcto — dilo en alto!»

Sin embargo, días más tarde, el 4 de mayo de 2018, el archivo de Wayback del Código de Conducta muestra que la frase «Don’t Be Evil» ha sido eliminada:

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.

¿Significa esto que Google se está moviendo al lado oscuro?

Por suerte, la frase final del Código Conducta «…And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!» todavía permanece, así que quizás la compañía simplemente quiere rebajar el tono.