(Article) Do Know Evil? Google is Said to be Astroturfing

Don't Be Evil -- Hire It Done

,----[ Quote ]

"The NY Times among others is reporting that Google is ramping up its
lobbying clout (registration or bugmenot required). The 'Don't be evil'
search engine company has hired the infamous astroturfing and dirty
tricks firm Direct Connect, Inc. You may remember DCI from their recent
attempts to pass off their 'Penguin Army' video as a product of some
lone wit, unconnected with their client, Exxon. Or their involvement in
Microsoft's 'even dead voters love Microsoft' campaign. With a staff of
veterans in the biz (such as Chris 'Swiftboat' LaCivita and Jim
'Electioneering' Tobin), led by Tom 'Big Tobacco on the Dole' Synhorst,
I'm sure DCI will be able to give Google whatever they're paying them
for. The question is, what are they paying them for? And does 'Don't be
evil' imply 'Don't pay professionals to be evil for you?' Or could
there possibly be a non-evil reason to hire these clowns?"
`----

http://politics.slashdot.org/article...34224&from=rss

__/ [ Roy Schestowitz ] on Friday 15 September 2006 05:34 \__

Don't Be Evil -- Hire It Done

,----[ Quote ]
| "The NY Times among others is reporting that Google is ramping up its
| lobbying clout (registration or bugmenot required). The 'Don't be evil'
| search engine company has hired the infamous astroturfing and dirty
| tricks firm Direct Connect, Inc. You may remember DCI from their recent
| attempts to pass off their 'Penguin Army' video as a product of some
| lone wit, unconnected with their client, Exxon. Or their involvement in
| Microsoft's 'even dead voters love Microsoft' campaign. With a staff of
| veterans in the biz (such as Chris 'Swiftboat' LaCivita and Jim
| 'Electioneering' Tobin), led by Tom 'Big Tobacco on the Dole' Synhorst,
| I'm sure DCI will be able to give Google whatever they're paying them
| for. The question is, what are they paying them for? And does 'Don't be
| evil' imply 'Don't pay professionals to be evil for you?' Or could
| there possibly be a non-evil reason to hire these clowns?"
`----

http://politics.slashdot.org/article...34224&from=rss

Yikes.

Google forms political pressure group

http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.p...970172&rid=-50

One more company that wants to (re)write the laws. Some say that bribery in
politics is what tweaks the rules to suit the wealthy corporations. I hope
that Google will rethink this. As well as the censorship, the 'extensions'
of standards, and snobbery over validation. Where is that Google which was
so much liked...?