Download Google axes its anti-evil motto

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WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2015 DIARY 11
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EDITED BY EDITH HANCOCK
Google axes its
anti-evil motto
G
OOGLE is finally free to be
evil. When Google became
Alphabet, it rather ominously decided to leave its
motto “don’t be evil” behind.
Although Google workers still have
to promise not to be evil, that code of
conduct doesn’t apply to its new parent company, after Google’s transition
to Alphabet was completed last week.
Alphabet employees have slightly
less strict rules to abide by – not to
mention less catchy. Employees of Alphabet “should
do the right thing – follow the law, act honourably and treat each
other with respect”.
The famous motto
has long been associated with the tech
giant, and was even included in its
2004 initial public offering. But it isn’t
the only part of its code of conduct,
which spans pages and includes other
gems like “we like cats, but we’re a
dog company”.
The corporate shakeup that left
Google as the subsidiary of holding
company Alphabet was finally completed last week, and Google shares
traded under Alphabet for the first
time on Monday.
While the new umbrella company
includes a broad range of efforts
from life sciences to Google Ventures and Google X, Google itself
has become more streamlined
to focus on Android, and ads.
However, no word on any plans
for trap doors, shark tanks,
lasers or island headquarters.
Google is renouncing its
anti-evil policy
A ROMANTIC NIGHT FOR TOMB Airbnb
offer a spooky weekend in Paris for two
What could be more romantic than a candlelit dinner in a cosy hideaway in
Paris? That was the thought running through the heads of Airbnb’s marketing
team when they came up with a competition to win a one night stay for two in
Paris’ catacombs. On Halloween. Perhaps it won’t just be the ghosts going bump
in the night on this weekend break (although those skulls hardly set the mood).
VLADIMIR PUTIN ON A PAR WITH BATMAN?
...and while we’re still on the subject of evil, Vladimir Putin
celebrates his 63rd birthday today - and to celebrate a
London artist opened an exhibition yesterday putting the
leader right up there with Alexander the Great and
Mahatma Gandhi as a “famous hero” of our time. The Putin
Universe imposed the politician’s visage onto famous
images of Salvador Dali, Father Christmas and even
Batman. Lee West, who launched the exhibition in Hoxton,
said: “I’m proud to present a positive image of Putin.
People seemed very interested. Something similar was
held in Russia last year and the BBC claimed that it could
never be done in London. Well, there you go!” Well, quite.
CANARY WHARF BLASTS NEW
CHARGE ON WAITROSE BAGS
While the big supermarkets’ press teams
are having a very stressful week after a
5p charge on plastic bags was rolled out
on Monday, there was one group of
victims that everyone forgot about:
Canary Wharf’s bankers. How will they
carry their lunch back to the office
without a bag? That was the question
one worker demanded an answer to
yesterday. According to travel-blogger
Laura Baker, the local Waitrose got an
earful from a man who was “really rude”
to staff who told him that bags are now
an added extra.
LAST OF THE ENGLISH WINE
Look after the pennies...
British values were top of the agenda at
the Tories’ party conference yesterday.
While Theresa May claimed Britain was
paying a “high price” for immigration, one
ex City figure was troubled by an influx of
foreign fizz this week. Mark Driver, hedge
fund manager-turned owner of Sussex
vineyard Rathfinny, was speaking at a
Conservative Rural Affairs Group
yesterday and blasted the Tories for
shipping in Lanson's and Bollinger for the
drinks receptions while there is no English
sparkling wine in sight. Maybe the party
isn't ready for an EU exit after all?