Google's Chief Is Googled, to the Company's Displeasure

Itsme · 08-08-2005, 01:52 PM

Google's Chief Is Googled, to the Company's Displeasure

By SAUL HANSELL
Published: August 8, 2005

Google says its mission is "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." But it does not appear to take kindly to those who use its search engine to organize and publish information about its own executives.

CNETNews.com, a technology news Web site, said last week that Google had told it that the company would not answer any questions from CNET's reporters until July 2006. The move came after CNET published an article last month that discussed how the Google search engine can uncover personal information and that raised questions about what information Google collects about its users.

The article, by Elinor Mills, a CNET staff writer, gave several examples of information about Google's chief executive, Eric E. Schmidt, that could be gleaned from the search engine. These included that his shares in the company were worth $1.5 billion, that he lived in Atherton, Calif., that he was the host of a $10,000-a-plate fund-raiser for Al Gore's presidential campaign and that he was a pilot.

After the article appeared, David Krane, Google's director of public relations, called CNET editors to complain, said Jai Singh, the editor in chief of CNETNews.com. "They were unhappy about the fact we used Schmidt's private information in our story," Mr. Singh said. "Our view is what we published was all public information, and we actually used their own product to find it."

He said Mr. Krane called back to say that Google would not speak to any reporter from CNET for a year.

In an instant-message interview, Mr. Krane said, "You can put us down for a 'no comment.' "

When asked if Google had any objection to the reprinting of the information about Mr. Schmidt in this article, Mr. Krane replied that it did not.

Mr. Singh, who has worked in technology news for more than two decades, said he could not recall a similar situation. "Sometimes a company is ticked off and won't talk to a reporter for a bit," he said, "but I've never seen a company not talk to a whole news organization." SAUL HANSELL

Jeffbx · 08-09-2005, 05:40 AM

Wow - way to put a bad spin on something, Google.

DarkFury · 08-09-2005, 08:10 AM

Well... what did they expect their own tool to do?

Pemolis · 08-12-2005, 06:18 AM

Strange that they said they would not speak to cnet for a whole year..

Now I can see them saying, We cannot comment on this till 2006, but to blatantly say.

<I no like you, I no talk to you for entire year now. hahahaha>

Thats a bit silly.

I wonder if Google will Ban CNets Ip Addresses from Accessing Google. Then that'll be interesting.

Itsme · 08-12-2005, 09:34 AM

I like the case where some guy was testifying in front of a congressional committee recently discussing security and identity theft. The guy was able to use his laptop at the hearing and tell some of the congressmen (and I think the Director of the CIA) their social security numbers. After that, they listened to what he had to say.

DaFunkyUnit · 08-12-2005, 10:52 AM

interview by IM, huh?

sunrisetech · 08-12-2005, 05:13 PM

08-08-2005, 01:52 PM	#1
Itsme Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 4,813	Google's Chief Is Googled, to the Company's Displeasure Google's Chief Is Googled, to the Company's Displeasure By SAUL HANSELL Published: August 8, 2005 Google says its mission is "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." But it does not appear to take kindly to those who use its search engine to organize and publish information about its own executives. CNETNews.com, a technology news Web site, said last week that Google had told it that the company would not answer any questions from CNET's reporters until July 2006. The move came after CNET published an article last month that discussed how the Google search engine can uncover personal information and that raised questions about what information Google collects about its users. The article, by Elinor Mills, a CNET staff writer, gave several examples of information about Google's chief executive, Eric E. Schmidt, that could be gleaned from the search engine. These included that his shares in the company were worth $1.5 billion, that he lived in Atherton, Calif., that he was the host of a $10,000-a-plate fund-raiser for Al Gore's presidential campaign and that he was a pilot. After the article appeared, David Krane, Google's director of public relations, called CNET editors to complain, said Jai Singh, the editor in chief of CNETNews.com. "They were unhappy about the fact we used Schmidt's private information in our story," Mr. Singh said. "Our view is what we published was all public information, and we actually used their own product to find it." He said Mr. Krane called back to say that Google would not speak to any reporter from CNET for a year. In an instant-message interview, Mr. Krane said, "You can put us down for a 'no comment.' " When asked if Google had any objection to the reprinting of the information about Mr. Schmidt in this article, Mr. Krane replied that it did not. Mr. Singh, who has worked in technology news for more than two decades, said he could not recall a similar situation. "Sometimes a company is ticked off and won't talk to a reporter for a bit," he said, "but I've never seen a company not talk to a whole news organization." SAUL HANSELL

08-09-2005, 08:10 AM	#3
DarkFury Secretary of the Navy Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Chillin' N Da 'Hood Posts: 34,997	Well... what did they expect their own tool to do? __________________ DarkFury's Pimptopia - Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Game! Home of the Original OG Pimp (accept NO imitations)

08-12-2005, 10:52 AM	#6
DaFunkyUnit Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: the peanut gallery Posts: 3,909	interview by IM, huh? __________________

08-12-2005, 05:13 PM	#7
sunrisetech Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 171	Wow.

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08-09-2005, 05:40 AM	#2
Jeffbx Fleet Admiral Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,390	Wow - way to put a bad spin on something, Google.

08-12-2005, 06:18 AM	#4
Pemolis Lieutenant Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 350	Strange that they said they would not speak to cnet for a whole year.. Now I can see them saying, We cannot comment on this till 2006, but to blatantly say. <I no like you, I no talk to you for entire year now. hahahaha> Thats a bit silly. I wonder if Google will Ban CNets Ip Addresses from Accessing Google. Then that'll be interesting.

08-12-2005, 09:34 AM	#5
Itsme Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 4,813	I like the case where some guy was testifying in front of a congressional committee recently discussing security and identity theft. The guy was able to use his laptop at the hearing and tell some of the congressmen (and I think the Director of the CIA) their social security numbers. After that, they listened to what he had to say.

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