Earlier quoted context omitted.
>There was such a thing as ethical and societal responsibility for businesses. Since when? Standard oil? Or going back further, the Dutch East India Company?
Since the time companies started being held accountable. Which goes back all the way to ancient Babylon in some form or another. There are countless instances in history of shady businessmen being taken to trial or punished by an angry mob. (And the "Dutch East India Company" was accountable to its society -- and even nationalized at some point. It just exploited OTHER societies and countries).
And "Google" was accountable to its shareholders -- and even made public at some point. It just exploited OTHER parts of society.
See?