Google may or may not be on democracy’s side in countries such as Thailand and China – CEO Eric Schmidt apparently isn’t saying. Yet, while speaking in South Korea, Schmidt made clear that the Internet, as a whole, can help spread this particular system of government.
In fact, Schmidt called the Internet “a powerful force for democracy,” according to Sumner Lemon of the IDG News Service. He also said, “More people looking at an idea results in a better outcome.”
But that brings us back to Google’s role in all this. After all, one might think that the company that used to “do no evil” would also want “a better outcome.” But, as reported by Lemon, Schmidt “ducked the question of whether his company’s dominance of Internet search may ultimately distort democratic gains from improved information access.”
Even in South Korea – a country with a political system very similar to America’s – Google has done some questionable things, including requiring that users enter their name and national resident registration number in order to perform “adult” searches. In Thailand and China . . . well, let’s just say that the term “questionable” becomes even more of a polite understatement.
Despite some pleasant-sounding speeches, Schmidt and Google appear to be losing ground in the never-ending PR struggle; the CEO may want to do something about this. While he’s at it, Schmidt might try to get all of his employees, including the global privacy counsel, on the same corporate page.
