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back to article Obama urged to halt Google government takeover

Two consumer watchdogs - including the aptly-named Consumer Watchdog - have urged US President Barack Obama to avoid appointing Google's director of global public policy as the country's deputy chief technology officer. According to various press reports, Obama is set to fill the new deputy CTO post with über-Googler Andrew …

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  1. steward
    Black Helicopters

    New definitions of evil

    Gooooooogle says one of its guiding principles is "Don't be evil."

    However, if they take over the government, they can -define- evil...

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  2. Del Merritt

    the paradox

    When I worked in the private sector for a government contractor, the cry was often, "we really need smart people in government". The issue, of course, is that Gov't pay is relatively lousy (though that may be changing with healthcare costs) and so the private sector was left selling to "not as smart people". Of course, there are always exceptions for all sorts of reasons, but that was the perception.

    So on one hand we want smart, experienced people in charge of government, and on the other, we don't want people from the private sector to be in positions that suggest conflict of interest.

    Perhaps the letter of Obama's goal is naive. Unfortunately, he and his administration leave themselves open to critics who see the pair of dueling needs. I hope and wish that BHO can see that Google isn't teh sole source of know3dge today anymore than Micro$oft was a decade ago. Smart people abound. Just look around a bit more.

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  3. Dave Gomm

    Perhaps we haven't heard all of it

    What if their principle was really "Don't be evil............yet !"

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    "Don't Be Evil"

    I think this is often mispronounced. As one of their quarterly review items referring to how their personnel should deal with twinges of decency, it should be read, "Don't. Be evil."

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Re: New definitions of evil

    Yes, but they have to take over the Judicial branch to do that - it's the judges that have been doing their best to redefine words to change the meaning of legislation... well, other than the executive branch who tried "refine" the definition of "is"...

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  6. James Woods

    don't be evil?

    I would have to agree on the 'don't be evil' however it won't be for defining google, it'll be google defining you.

    Google has pulled alot of stunts from how it harvests consumer data, says carrier neutrality is important (for everyone else) and also how it selects what news you'll get on it's news platform.

    What's good for google is good for america right? :)

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  7. Richard Kay
    Go

    sever past connections and hire the best candidate

    I don't see a problem with government hiring smart people from industry or vice versa. In this situation the contracts have to make certain that share options are fully cashed out and pension values fully transferred to avoid conflict of interest, so those appointed to government jobs have no other employer. Ex Googlers also have the same right to work for the government as anyone else, but the arrangement must ensure the severance with previous interests is effective.

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    Google Joins Internet Identification Card Plot

    Google Joins Internet Identification Card Plot

    US Dept. of Justice documents

    http://cryptome.org/0001/doj052209.htm

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  9. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    "Revolving door in full swing" mixed metaphor horror...

    Unfortunately for us, that plane has sailed. It's not going to be long until the stretched twig of peace is at melting point.

    Paris, cos he's always at full swing,

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  10. Thomas
    Thumb Up

    appointed by

    Obama entered "gud with technology" into google and his name was the first hit.

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