> It's not like the industry has no precedents on this. "Don't Be Evil" was the motto of a company that is now one of the apex predators in the surveillance capitalism ecosystem.
How is this precedent? "Don't Be Evil" strikes me as extremely explicit. This seems like a counter-example to me.
Yes. The point is that it started out as a wonderfully explicit and expansive statement.
And even THAT explicit and expansive statement was abandoned to the point where the very same company is now a global leader in surveillance capitalism, which is widely considered a massive net-negative for society if not flat-out evil.
So, when a CEO won't even make anything more than wish-washy "I don't want to do it" and "feels off mission" statements, people should be concerned that those weak good intentions will hold up even less well.
How is this precedent? "Don't Be Evil" strikes me as extremely explicit. This seems like a counter-example to me.