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Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

theregister.co.uk

21–30 of 172 posts

Re: Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

#21
I'd like to hear Erich Schmidt's half of the story.

This is typical Internet drama. We have seen it a million times. I give the guy the benefit of doubt since this wouldn't be the first occasion some journalist taken a sentence out of context.

Re: Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

#22

I'd like Eric Schmidt to publicly release his search history, both his work-related and private searches.

I don't think he'd like that at all.

The article links to a story about Google blocking CNET reporters for a year after they used Google search to find details about Schmidt: http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/05/technology/google_cnet/

Really, all this "privacy" nonsense is for the little people, not important folk like Eric Schmidt, anyway.

Re: Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

#25

If you wanted to end Google, all you would have to do is offer a reward for a whistleblower to videotape a privacy violation at Mountain View. Imagine putting that on Youtube. (EDIT: yes, I know they own Youtube. Of course they'll take it down. But it would be reposted on Vimeo and the like, and the publicity for the takedown would cause the Streisand effect).

Except that Google owns Youtube.

Imagine that getting taken down from Youtube in record time.

Re: Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

#26

My corollary: if you have something to hide, and doing it is a good or neutral thing, then you have identified a bug in society. You probably ought to fix that.

I would rather hide, thank you. In a fight between me and the world, my bet is on the world.

Re: Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

#28
post #3

So much for "don't be evil".

There's a difference between "don't be evil" and "be good".

I disagree. I think every action is polarized. Some actions are just further towards one end of the spectrum than others.

Re: Eric Schmidt: "If you have something [to hide], maybe you shouldn't be doing it"

#30
This is only the tip of the iceberg, and the future absence of privacy will not really be about Google... Google is just a harbringer.

Universal sousveillance is the future, but since you'll be less and less able to tell whether you're in the future in this sense, acting as though you are might be prudent. :)

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