Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Cory Doctorow's Fiction About An Evil Google

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the government-search-engines dept.

ahem writes "I saw a link on Valleywag to a story written by Cory Doctorow about what would happen if Google got in bed with the Dept. of Homeland Security. Chilling, well written, but the ending was a bit anti-climactic for my tastes."

6 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Fiction? by Leftist+Troll · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How do we even know Google isn't already in bed with the government? Under the PATRIOT act, they wouldn't be able to disclose it under certain circumstances.

    1. Re:Fiction? by davetd02 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Google is the #1 company that has been fighting AGAINST government intrusion into search.

      Google Rebuffs Government Subpoena -- Google went to court many times to stop the government from getting search queries. Yahoo and MSN gave the government what it wanted almost immediately.

      Think about it -- Google requires users' trust to create new services. You wouldn't use Google Mail if you knew Google would sell you up the river for nothing. Whatever new service comes next I'm sure the same thing will be true; their market is all about collecting data and interconnecting it, but you won't give them that data unless you trust them. They have every incentive in the world to fight the government on your behalf so that they can keep the trust of their users.

  2. imagine a ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Imagine if AT&T got in bed with the NSA

    Or if Exxon Mobile influenced energy policy

    Or if Pfizer wrote Medicaid Drug Rules

    Or if draft dodgers led the US Military

    Or if a Horse Commissioner was in charge of FEMA

    Oh look OJ Simpson is robbing Brittney Spears Stomach Fat I got to go

  3. How about evil Slashdot? by msormune · · Score: 5, Funny

    How abut a story about "Evil Slashdot" that is used as a massive tool for concentrated DDOS attacks? Oh wait...

  4. Great commenter on TFA page!!! by drx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So, people don't value their privacy?

    Look at the topmost comment on the first page of the story! Some dude called

    Alberto S. Lopez
    Lawndale, CA
    Email: albertoslopez@gmail.com
    Cell: 310.686.1259

    explains how he read this story on his iPhone!!!

    AhAh AHaAhHAh HAhaHAAHahAHaaa!!

  5. Wait ... by mark_jabroni · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So if Google cooperates with the Chinese government to suppress 'dangerous' speech and (probably) to identify dissidents, that's perfectly ok.

    But if they cooperate with the US Department of Homeland Security -- oh no! Look out freedom! Google is now evil!

    One of these countries imprisons, tortures, and kills political dissidents. One has annexed a foreign country and has been promising to annex another for fifty years. One destroys "illegal" churches and forces abortions.

    But thank goodness that Google is cooperating with the "Good" one.