17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart • Hacker News Board

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#31

Post by new299 » Thu, May 02, 2013, 1:28 PM UTC

ElliotMingee wrote: post #25

new299 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only wat this is true is if 17% of people hold stock in Google. Corporations are I believe legally obliged to only have their stock holders interests at heart. If this survey measures anythings it's just how much goodwill exists toward various organizations.

Publicly traded American companies are obligated under fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of their shareholders. They are not, however, required to have _only_ their stock holders interests at heart.

Hmm I should read up more about the legal obligations. Thanks.

However by that definition it seems to be that if they are operating in the best interests of the shareholders they can't act in anyones elses interests if that causes any expenditure.

Obviously I'm not saying they can't act in the interests of others, but only incidentally and when it coincides with the interests of the shareholders.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#32

Post by susi22 » Thu, May 02, 2013, 1:37 PM UTC

mrkmcknz wrote: post #23

polymatter wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For convenience. Question: "To what extent do the following have your best interests at heart?" NHS: 37% Police: 26% Charities: 21% Supermarkets: 19% Google: 17% Religious institutions: 17% Building societies: 15% Local authorities: 10% Private healthcare firms: 9% Facebook: 9% Lawyers: 8% Banks: 7% Media: 6% Utility companies: 6% Insurance companies: 5% Politicians: 3%

I can't believe banks scored as high as 7%

I think those are the people that work for a bank. In urban parts of GB probably more than 7%.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#33

Post by grayrest » Thu, May 02, 2013, 1:41 PM UTC

arethuza wrote: post #30

mrkmcknz wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't believe banks scored as high as 7%

I suspect the banks would pay a lot of money to find out who those 7% are...

I bank at a credit union [1]. I specifically remember one year where they sent a letter saying roughly "We made too much money. Your account has been credited with your share of the excess." Of course, that's what a credit union implies but they're a bank to me so I'd be in the 7%.

[1] https://www.deltacommunitycu.com/

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#34

Post by igouy » Thu, May 02, 2013, 1:42 PM UTC

arethuza wrote: post #7

I like the Guardian's take on this: "After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, custard sales went through the roof as people sought refuge in nostalgia" http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2...

Missing "the glaringly obvious" -- custard is actual comfort food not just a yearning for past childhood.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#35

Post by arethuza » Thu, May 02, 2013, 1:52 PM UTC

grayrest wrote: post #33

arethuza wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect the banks would pay a lot of money to find out who those 7% are...

I bank at a credit union [1]. I specifically remember one year where they sent a letter saying roughly "We made too much money. Your account has been credited with your share of the excess." Of course, that's what a credit union implies but they're a bank to me so I'd be in the 7%. [1] https://www.deltacommunitycu.com/

I think the UK equivalent would perhaps be a "building society" - which are on that list at 15%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_society

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#36

Post by tome » Thu, May 02, 2013, 2:22 PM UTC

mrkmcknz wrote: post #23

polymatter wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For convenience. Question: "To what extent do the following have your best interests at heart?" NHS: 37% Police: 26% Charities: 21% Supermarkets: 19% Google: 17% Religious institutions: 17% Building societies: 15% Local authorities: 10% Private healthcare firms: 9% Facebook: 9% Lawyers: 8% Banks: 7% Media: 6% Utility companies: 6% Insurance companies: 5% Politicians: 3%

I can't believe banks scored as high as 7%

And I'm actually surprised that Building Societies scored so low, but maybe I've got some weird bias.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#37

Post by Evbn » Thu, May 02, 2013, 2:41 PM UTC

That is a rather vague question. Google has 50K hearts.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#38

Post by Evbn » Thu, May 02, 2013, 2:43 PM UTC

new299 wrote: post #19

polymatter wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For convenience. Question: "To what extent do the following have your best interests at heart?" NHS: 37% Police: 26% Charities: 21% Supermarkets: 19% Google: 17% Religious institutions: 17% Building societies: 15% Local authorities: 10% Private healthcare firms: 9% Facebook: 9% Lawyers: 8% Banks: 7% Media: 6% Utility companies: 6% Insurance companies: 5% Politicians: 3%

The only wat this is true is if 17% of people hold stock in Google. Corporations are I believe legally obliged to only have their stock holders interests at heart. If this survey measures anythings it's just how much goodwill exists toward various organizations.

Their stock holders may have customers interests at heart. That is how a good business works.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#39

Post by Evbn » Thu, May 02, 2013, 2:44 PM UTC

igouy wrote: post #34

arethuza wrote: post #7

I like the Guardian's take on this: "After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, custard sales went through the roof as people sought refuge in nostalgia" http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2...

Missing "the glaringly obvious" -- custard is actual comfort food not just a yearning for past childhood.

Comfort food is comforting because it is nostalgic.

Re: 17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart

#40

Post by Evbn » Thu, May 02, 2013, 2:45 PM UTC

verygoodyear wrote: post #20

Why do they put large categories such as 'Supermarkets' and 'Banks' next to specific companies like 'Google' or 'Facebook'. Surely 'Search engines' or 'Social media sites' would be more appropriate?

Because stupid linkbait survey.