Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why I won’t work for Google

qnrq.se

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 225 posts

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#31

Post by quaunaut »

eurleif wrote: post #22
quaunaut wrote: post #19

I'm still waiting on proof from Snowden as to Apple/Google/Facebook's direct, illegal cooperation with the NSA. So far, all I've seen proof of is compliance with warrants(which admittedly are questionable, but Google has a direct financial gain in fighting them, not helping them), claims that they've fought them, and evidence that the NSA is both tapping the trunk as well as decrypting SSL'd communications.

> Google has a direct financial gain in fighting them Wait, what? Google has a direct financial gain in fighting warrants? How do you figure?

In fighting overbroad warrants, via the National Security Letters. Having NSLs at all significantly increases consumer distrust in Google, and gives them literally zero gains in return. It even costs them work, if you're looking at the small stuff. They don't get anything out of it.

Edit: Clarified what NSL means.

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#32

Post by quaunaut »

Apachez wrote: post #21
quaunaut wrote: post #19

I'm still waiting on proof from Snowden as to Apple/Google/Facebook's direct, illegal cooperation with the NSA. So far, all I've seen proof of is compliance with warrants(which admittedly are questionable, but Google has a direct financial gain in fighting them, not helping them), claims that they've fought them, and evidence that the NSA is both tapping the trunk as well as decrypting SSL'd communications.

This might give you a hint? http://thehackernews.com/2014/05/ios-apple-iphone-data-prote... Apple iOS 7 Updates Silently Remove Encryption for Email Attachments Thursday, May 01, 2014

From what I'm reading in other places this seems more like an oversight than malicious intent. It was present in iOS 7, then broke in later versions. The e-mails themselves are still fully encrypted, and the iPhone data itself can be encrpyted, the main trouble seems to be what's transmitted during sync, since the actual researcher[1] claims a valid workaround is simply disabling mail synchronization.

1. http://www.andreas-kurtz.de/2014/04/what-apple-missed-to-fix...

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#35

Post by p4bl0 »

I can't access the linked blogpost because the website is offline, but from the comments here I understand that the main reason the author is invoking for not working at Google is because of Snowden's revelations and Google implication with the NSA.

I think this is strange, we knew way before Snowden's revelations what Google did with the privacy of their users. That in itself should be enough to not want to work there, if you care about it. I know more than a handful of people (including me) who refused jobs from Google (often more than one time, for example I had to ask them to write down to not contact me again after the third time) before Snowden's revelations. The reasons were multiple: "don't be evil" is a joke, Google has been a big company for years now and not really a fun startupy place, it may happens that the job you want is not the kind of jobs that Google offers, and it's not even true anymore (or at least, it is less and less) that having worked at Google make your resume special.

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#36

Post by microtonal »

eclipxe wrote: post #25

Wouldn't want to work with this guy. Fair points but come on, the poor recruiter is the wrong person to rant to.

the poor recruiter is the wrong person to rant to.

Why? If enough talented individuals reject a Google position (or more accurately, entry to Google's interview process) for moral reasons, the message will be sent up the chain of command.

Google thrives on talent. If it becomes hard to acquire new talent, they have a serious problem.

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#37

Post by eurleif »

quaunaut wrote: post #31
eurleif wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Google has a direct financial gain in fighting them Wait, what? Google has a direct financial gain in fighting warrants? How do you figure?

In fighting overbroad warrants, via the National Security Letters. Having NSLs at all significantly increases consumer distrust in Google, and gives them literally zero gains in return. It even costs them work, if you're looking at the small stuff. They don't get anything out of it. Edit: Clarified what NSL means.

NSLs and warrants are completely different things. Warrants are (or can be) for the contents of messages, and must be signed by a judge. NSLs only cover metadata, and only require an FBI agent's signature. An NSL is a type of subpoena, not a type of warrant.

Also, fighting them takes work too. Much more work (done by more highly-paid individuals) than complying with them. The PR angle may make it a net gain, but I don't think there's a slam-dunk case for that being true. What about consumers who believe NSLs are a necessary tool to fight terrorists?

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#39

Post by [deleted] »

p4bl0 wrote: post #35

I can't access the linked blogpost because the website is offline, but from the comments here I understand that the main reason the author is invoking for not working at Google is because of Snowden's revelations and Google implication with the NSA. I think this is strange, we knew way before Snowden's revelations what Google did with the privacy of their users. That in itself should be enough to not want to work the…

[deleted]

Re: Why I won’t work for Google

#40

Post by hitchhiker999 »

Perhaps a few people don't understand why OP takes this so seriously. This is the 'long game', the game for the betterment of human existence. (Cliche? yes, true enough? - probably)

If you still feel these huge corporations have our best interests at heart, you are being a touch naive.

They are not 'evil' ofc, but they're probably not the best idea for the future.

Post reply on HN