Google, Sicko & voice
July 5, 2007 11:48 am GeneralThe interesting thing about the recent Google “Sicko” controversy and the reaction to the controversy is the persistence of the myth that corporations have opinions on anything.
The story, for those who haven’t heard about it, is that someone from Google blogged about a movie they didn’t agree with, and a newspaper picked up the story as “Google didn’t like Sicko”. Since then, Google’s communication staff have been working hard to say “No, Google likes “Sicko”, really”.
Shouldn’t they be saying “Google is a non-physical non-thinking entity, it can’t like or dislike anything”? Isn’t the whole point of corporate blogging to show that a company is not a Borg-like entity where some company position (which the president or VP likes) gets proliferated down the organisation to be adopted by mindless drones?
How about this as a non-denial denial? “Google’s management is very proud that our employees have the ability to express their personal opinions through our corporate blog. The diversity of opinion is something which makes our company stronger and richer. We stand by our employees, and have complete trust in their ability to exercise good judgement in their blogging activities.”
July 5th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
The point is not “Google likes/hates Sicko”, but “Google is trying to profit from an industry accused of profiting from death”. Googlers love to say that they have an opinion – the “no Evil” thing.
July 5th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
As far as my understanding goes in the US legal system a corporation has the same rights as a person (a consequence of abuse of the equal rights laws passed in the 60s), they are a “super-person” according to some commentators.
I guess once you’ve gone so far down that road the next step is to believe that these super people do indeed have opinions and a single voice.
I look at it as a cynical attempt to get more ad revenue from a group of corporations earning millions a year.
July 5th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Well, given that corporations are defined as legal persons, with most of the same rights as human beings, I don’t see why they shouldn’t have opinions as well. Yes, it’s absurd and grotesque, but that’s capitalism for you.
July 11th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Corporations do have opinions. For instance, say Insurance Regulators wanted to standardize insurance rates. Don’t you think Geico would have something to say about that? It would ruin their corporate identity. No more “Saving 15% on car insurance”.
July 11th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Cory: would it be Geico having this opinion, or its marketing strategy group & board of directors? Allowing corporations to have opinions only gives actual human beings a chance to do inhuman or immoral things in the name of “the best interests of the company”.
Dave.
July 13th, 2007 at 5:52 am
Corporations are only as moral as the people making the rules they operate under.
Same goes for governments… so really America is only as moral as the average voter and Google only as moral as the average manager making decisions (does google have managers?)