Don't Be Evil Google
August 9, 2010
| 10:53 AM
With reports of a forthcoming deal between Google and Verizon on Internet traffic management, public interest and political groups are fighting back with a campaign to protect the openness of the Internet.
Don't be evil Google, says a petition being circulated by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in partnership with MoveOn.org, Free Press and others. The coalition is calling upon Google to abandon the prospective deal with Verizon arguing that the deal, as it has been reported, would undermine net neutrality.
"You can make money without doing evil", is one of 10 principles Google abides by, according to the company website. As of Monday morning, the petition urging Google to stick by its motto had a little over 300,000 signatories.
Both Google and Verizon strongly denied one of the reports claiming the two firms are close to a deal. The New York Times reported that Verizon and Google are "nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content's creators are willing to pay for the privilege." Some of the mobile phones offered by Verizon Wireless use Google's Android operating system.
According to a blog post by Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, a public interest group that advocates for net neutrality, the Google-Verizon agreement is likely to be announced today.
Google has been contacted for further comment.
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