Google Corporate Social Responsibility and Technology Ethics

Introduction to Google's CSR Mission

Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information (Annual Report, 2011). The corporate social responsibilities of Google, Inc. include addressing global challenges of climate change, education, and poverty alleviation (Corporate Social Responsibility, 2011). The Google China Social Innovation Cup for College Students is designed to encourage youth to be agents of social change. Google, Inc. supports earthquake relief efforts by raising funds for free advertising to help businesses rebuild, providing communication platforms for families to locate loved ones, and funding the construction of Quake Relief Hope Schools. Google Grants is a program that provides free advertising for charitable organizations.

Because Google, Inc. is a global company, technology plays an integral role in how its programs and platforms function. Cultural considerations become part of social responsibility in every country around the globe. Google believes that technology should do the hard work — including the discovery, organization, and communication of information — and works to design its products around seamless productivity. All programs and platforms work together to deliver social responsibility services. For example, a business destroyed by an earthquake in a foreign country can use AdSense, even with a budget as small as five dollars a day, to rebuild its customer base over the internet. Funds raised to support business recovery can be quickly accessed through Google's technology and platforms.

Ethical Standards and Code of Conduct

"Don't be evil" is the slogan Google requires all employees to uphold in their treatment of users and each other. It represents an unbiased commitment to doing the right thing — following the law, acting honorably, and showing respect (Code of Conduct, n.d.). Google holds all employees to the highest possible standards of business conduct and maintains an Ethics and Compliance hotline so that employees can report inappropriate behavior. Service to users encompasses integrity, product usefulness, privacy, security, and freedom of expression. It is essential for employees to protect and respect the privacy of user information, and confidentiality must be preserved by all staff.

Information Security and Privacy Challenges

Google faces ongoing challenges from new technologies that produce spam and rootkits capable of violating the privacy of its information systems. Vulnerabilities or errors in the system can be exploited, compromising the security of the information those systems are designed to protect. Employees must remain alert and observant in order to detect these threats and report them promptly so they can be resolved.

The Human Resources function uses technology to train employees on social and ethical issues, including whom to contact and what to report when privacy is compromised, spam is detected, or inaccurate information is found on company websites. For example, Google faces the persistent problem of websites that use irrelevant or inaccurate content to achieve higher rankings in Google search results. These sites must be detected and removed quickly in order to preserve accurate rankings for legitimate, relevant websites. When information is difficult to obtain, the appropriate employees need to be informed so they can ensure that users have easy access to what they are looking for.

Google invests considerable effort in security tools for users. A two-step verification process and encryption were implemented to prevent unauthorized access to user information on sharing sites. Recent updates to the privacy policy further ensure that privacy is protected and respected. Electronic performance support systems — such as employee evaluation inputs — also require high security to maintain employee privacy.

Conclusion

Google, Inc. is a global technological corporation that produces technology products to make information more accessible and useful for the end user. Its main mission is to make the lives of people across the globe more meaningful through search, advertising, and the ease of using technology. Google focuses on the key areas of search, web advertising, operating systems such as Chrome, and platforms, while also promoting enterprise across the globe. The company strives to improve people's lives by making technology do the hard work of discovering, organizing, and communicating information in all languages, accessible to all people. Its technology is designed to work seamlessly together to provide a variety of user experiences, whether on a computer, mobile phone, television, or other handheld device.