Google Secret Privacy Document Leaked

siliconbits writes "A confidential, seven-page Google Inc. 'vision statement' shows the information-age giant in a deep round of soul-searching over a basic question: How far should it go in profiting from its crown jewels—the vast trove of data it possesses about people's activities? Should it tap more of what it knows about Gmail users? Should it build a vast 'trading platform' for buying and selling Web data? Should it let people pay to not see any ads at all?"

Comments

Problem...

[mrops]

In traditional sense, shares of a company XYZ were meant to buy you, well exactly, "shares" of the company. Company made X amount of dollars, you got to share profits in accordance with what you own in that company. Company grew, the shares were worth more, however the idea was you got to share the profit. Sure you could sell your shares, however the concept got turned head over heals when shares themselves became trading commodities, so unless prices of shares rise, they are not valued, it does not matter if company is making a fixed X amount of profit year over year.

3 cheers for greed!

Re:and...

[icebraining]

Google has two classes of shares: A and B.
A are only worth 1 vote, B are worth 10.
A are all publicly traded, B are all hold by founders, directors and executives.
At least in 2007, 67% of the votes were owned by Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

So being publicly available does not mean they don't control the company anymore.