Original post Oct 30 2008
This is not a political post to support nor detract from any candidate or party. Last night Barack Obama delivered a TV infomercial that any of us marketers would be proud of. Great visuals, controlled themes, Endorsements and powerful stories that stick with people. However, one of these surprising endorsements was from Eric Schmidt CEO of GOOGLE.
Up until that moment last night, I guess I had never pondered how much it meant to me that Google was, well, just Google. A search site with great results, an ad platform reaching hundreds of millions of consumers, a savvy technology company helping grow businesses across this country.. and the world. And then the endorsement from Eric Schmidt.
Now we all have our own opinions, and I'm sure other CEO's have spoken for or against certain candidates. However considering the very high visibility and importance of this infomercial and the endorsement coming directly from the CEO of Google this was not a simple side comment or minor statement. This was an intentional well thought out endorsement of a political party.
Google told me: We are Democrats, we support Barack Obama.
This now paints my whole perspective of Google different. Not because I dislike Barack, nor that I have ill will towards the democratic party. It's simply that I felt Google should never publicly align with a political party, it taints them, it makes their motives for everything they do suspicious.
I trust Google with a great deal of sensitive private information both for my business and my personal life. Some things are simple like search query data, and other things more personal like the content within my emails.
When Donald Trump backs McCain, it has no effect on me.
When Martha Stewart backed Obama it had no impact on me.
These folks are known by millions but they have no access to our personal data or control over individual lives.When Google who holds nearly 10 years of data about me aligns themselves with a political party and endorses legislation.. that can have a very significant direct impact on me.. and the hundreds of millions of users of Google.
Is it coincidence that Google is now the senior partner to use Government space missions to launch and use satellites to view and track your house, car and back yard?
Is it odd that Google launches a medical service and the big push from our Government is to use technology to reduce health costs?
Is it odd that our Government wants a "fairness doctrine" and Google has all the search query data, blogs, email and video content to identify and filter this content for the Government?
This is all very concerning to me.
How did you view this?
Do you think Google should stay out of politics or jump in?
Does it concern you that Google who holds the keys to your data would be so closely aligned with a political party?
Again, I want to stress, I am not making a point about who they endorsed, my point is that they DID endorse somebody.
Respectful comments are appreciated.
I'm not necessarily a big Barack Obama supporter, but I am a big Tiger Woods fan. I came across this photo this morning and took one look at Tigers face to me it embodied an important sense of who Tiger is.
