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Google hid evidence by training workers to avoid words monopolists use, DOJ says (arstechnica.com)

submitted 1 year ago by Madison_rogue@kbin.social to c/tech@kbin.social

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The Department of Justice kicked off its antitrust trial against Google this week by presenting evidence that Google allegedly hid monopolistic behaviors not just by auto-deleting four years of chats, but also by training employees to avoid using certain words in office communications.

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[–] fiat_lux@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

training employees to avoid using certain words in office communications

Is it not standard practice at most large organisations to have style guides and recommendations from HR on workplace culture?

"Among words and phrases that Google employees were trained to avoid were "market share," "scale," "network effects," "leverage," "lock up," "lock in," "bundle," and "tie."

"We don't 'lock up' or 'lock in' our customers," and "we do not 'leverage' anything," Google told employees.

During a 2011 training called "Antitrust Basics for Search Team," Google also directed employees to "avoid metaphors involving wars or sports, winning, or losing."

The "don't use violent or competitive language" instruction seems pretty common in larger workplaces, purely from my own experience.
I think it's pretty funny that "bundle" and "scale" were included though.

I'm not sure this is particularly persuasive as its own argument, and I suspect it's the deleted communications that hold far more relevance.

If you really want to investigate Google's monopoly, I would suggest looking into the events/parties their ad account managers host/attend.

[–] falsem@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I never got training like that at Amazon. They do have aggressive email and chat retention policies though "because legal said so"

[–] fiat_lux@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Interesting! Although I guess Amazon has never struck me as being conscientious about an aggressive image, and it jives with what I've heard about the internal culture. I suppose it's just the companies who still want to look like your friend.

[–] On@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

yea. of all the shit the company pulls, how is this even newsworthy.

must be a slow news day.

"And in other news, water is wet"