Google and the search for privacy

[Commentary] I fear the “right to be forgotten”. I fear it will be abused by those whose sins most need to be remembered.

But there is a wider point and a balance to strike, which is why the issue is so difficult. The web -- Google in particular -- has changed our lives and we are only beginning to grapple with its impact. No one can dispute Google’s immense role in democratizing information. But it is led by people who resist restraints on the web and have little regard for privacy. It has a smart lobbying operation and believes the appeal of its technology will protect it from lawmakers. History suggests it is wrong. Indeed, one reason it was bound to be hit by such a ruling is its failure to engage at an emotionally intuitive level with concerns about privacy. Yet there was a moment in Google’s past when it seemed to grasp this -- the day it adopted its famous, “don’t be evil” motto. It suggests its leaders realized the scope for harm. It is, after all, something few other companies feel the need to tell their staff.