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[Kung Fu Jedi]

As anyone else read this story yet.

In a nutshell, Google launched an initiative in Kenya to help businesses get online and more competitive for the 21st century. Soon there after, one of the businesses that joined the initiative, Mocality, began getting odd calls from their customers requesting assistance with setting up a new website, something the business didn't do.

Speaking with those callers, it was clear that someone was contacting them claiming to be working with Mocality. Fearing that their database has been compromised, the company set-up a little sting activity (detailed in the link above) and determined that Google was accessing their client files, contacting customers, and even saying disparaging things about Mocality themselves.

It's a real sordid story and makes you wonder who else Google may have done this to. Really odd to say the least. What happened to "Don't Be Evil?"

 

[planar1280]

As anyone else read this story yet.

In a nutshell, Google launched an initiative in Kenya to help businesses get online and more competitive for the 21st century. Soon there after, one of the businesses that joined the initiative, Mocality, began getting odd calls from their customers requesting assistance with setting up a new website, something the business didn't do.

Speaking with those callers, it was clear that someone was contacting them claiming to be working with Mocality. Fearing that their database has been compromised, the company set-up a little sting activity (detailed in the link above) and determined that Google was accessing their client files, contacting customers, and even saying disparaging things about Mocality themselves.

It's a real sordid story and makes you wonder who else Google may have done this to. Really odd to say the least. What happened to "Don't Be Evil?"

it ended once Google went public. like all companies with NO exception, when it comes to money, they all embrace evil

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Damn-it. Accidentally hit "post" before I finished the title.

But yeah, I'm sure that's true on them going public, but this is some really shady stuff here.

 

[Divvy]

This is asinine. I do not understand why they would do this.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Is there corroboration from a source other than Mocality?

 

[dream]

Google confirmed the phishing in a typically PRish sort of way:

We were mortified to learn that a team of people working on a Google project improperly used Mocality’s data and misrepresented our relationship with Mocality to encourage customers to create new websites. We’ve already unreservedly apologised to Mocality. We’re still investigating exactly how this happened, and as soon as we have all the facts, we’ll be taking the appropriate action with the people involved.

 

[andycapps]

Google confirmed the phishing in a typically PRish sort of way:

Sounds like was outsourcing of some sort.

 

[SUPREME1]

Lies. All of it.

 

[dream]

Sounds like was outsourcing of some sort.

Maybe, but Google would still have had to hire the Indian call center to make the calls.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

And Mocality claims that the IP address belongs to Google.

 

[SouthernDragon]

Likely outsourcing.

 

[Davedough]

I, for one, welcome our new Google overlords.

 

[GavinGT]

Maybe, but Google would still have had to hire the Indian call center to make the calls.

They would likely have been local people making those calls, as it's unlikely that enough Indians know Swahili.