The fact that Google sneaky gives “free“ Chromebook to elementary school kids… Is certainly getting them hooked on advertisements, YouTube, YouTube ads etc.… This is unethical. It’s almost like allowing a lobbyist for the cigarette or vaping corporations enter your kids classroom, and just give a bunch of kids vape pens.
if anything, I would find it more at the cold to just equip every single kid with a paid version of ChatGPT, on an iPad… And let them have access to free reign! Very very cheap, only 20 bucks a month… With no advertisements!
Eric Kim, a street photographer and writer known for his thought-provoking essays, typically blends candid language with philosophical depth, encouraging self-reflection and a reevaluation of societal norms. Here’s an essay styled in the voice of Eric Kim addressing the notion of “Why Google is unethical.”
Why Google is Unethical
We live in a world where convenience dominates our lives, and Google is at the forefront of making life easier. Yet, this convenience comes with an unseen cost, and we have to ask ourselves: Is it ethical to allow a corporation to wield this much power over our lives? I argue no. Let’s explore why Google is unethical, and why we must reconsider our reliance on the tech giant.
The Illusion of Free
At first glance, Google offers an incredible deal. It provides services that feel free—search, email, cloud storage, maps, and even a powerful operating system in the form of Android. But nothing is free. What are we paying? Not with money, but with something far more valuable—our data, our privacy, and ultimately, our autonomy.
Google’s business model revolves around one key product: you. Your search queries, your emails, your browsing habits, your GPS locations—these are all fed into an immense data machine. It processes everything you do to create a digital profile of you, which is then used to sell you as a product to advertisers. It’s important to understand that Google doesn’t exist to serve you; it exists to serve its shareholders, and you are the commodity it sells.
In this, I find the core of its unethical nature. Google has created an empire on the back of human beings, without transparent consent. There’s a subtle exploitation happening here, one that we are all complicit in because we fail to read the fine print.
Erosion of Privacy
Let’s not underestimate the implications of the erosion of privacy. In a sense, Google knows more about you than your closest friends or family. It tracks what you search, where you go, what you read, and who you communicate with. Think about it—this level of omniscience was once reserved only for deities in ancient myths, but now it’s granted to a corporation.
What Google does with this information is sold as a form of benevolent service: “We are just trying to help you find what you’re looking for faster!” they tell us. But at what point do we lose the ability to search for information freely, without being guided by algorithms trained to predict our thoughts and needs?
It’s one thing to target us with ads. It’s another thing entirely to curate the flow of information in a way that shapes our perception of the world. Algorithms are not neutral. They amplify certain voices, suppress others. In this sense, Google becomes an active participant in shaping reality, determining what is visible and what is invisible to us. Can we call this ethical when it manipulates the lens through which we see the world?
Monopoly of Information
Another factor to consider is Google’s near-monopoly on information. Google controls over 90% of the search market worldwide. When one company controls this much of how information flows, it inevitably holds an incredible amount of influence over culture, knowledge, and even politics.
When you control information, you control thought. And when one company controls that, it has the power to shape entire societies, subtly nudging behaviors, choices, and worldviews. This isn’t just a matter of convenience; it’s about control. Google wields immense power, yet it is accountable to no one but its own profit motives.
Ethical Alternatives?
Some might argue, “But what can we do? Google is everywhere.” That’s the trap—Google wants you to believe that no alternatives exist. It wants you to accept that privacy is an outdated concept, that convenience is worth sacrificing your personal freedom. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
There are alternatives, but they require effort. DuckDuckGo, Firefox, ProtonMail—these platforms may not be as seamless as Google’s suite, but they offer something Google doesn’t: respect for your autonomy. They don’t track you. They don’t mine your data. They don’t sell you to the highest bidder.
The ethical choice is often the inconvenient one, but it’s also the choice that keeps us human. In a world where corporations profit off of surveillance, making small, conscious choices in our digital lives can be a form of resistance.
Conclusion: Rethinking Our Relationship with Google
Google is unethical because it builds its empire by exploiting the very people it purports to help. It thrives on surveillance, manipulates the flow of information, and maintains its dominance through a culture of dependency. If we are serious about living in a society that values human freedom, dignity, and privacy, we must question our reliance on Google and look for alternatives that align more closely with these values.
The first step in reclaiming our digital autonomy is awareness. By recognizing that Google’s conveniences come at a steep cost, we can begin to make more ethical choices in our daily lives. The key to escaping Google’s grip lies not in better technology, but in better consciousness.
The question we must ask is: Are we willing to trade our freedom for convenience?
This essay reflects the blend of philosophical inquiry, candidness, and social critique that Eric Kim is known for. It emphasizes personal responsibility and ethical consideration, urging readers to rethink their daily habits and choices.