Google has been accused of creating a culture of concealment to avoid antitrust lawsuits by minimizing internal communications. The company instructed employees to avoid speculation, sarcasm, and discussing sensitive topics that could be seized upon by regulators or competitors.
Key Points
Google initiated a 15-year campaign to make deletion the default for internal communications
Employees were instructed to avoid speculation, sarcasm, and discussing 'hot topics'
Judges in antitrust trials criticized Google's handling of evidence
Pros
Efforts to protect the company from legal vulnerabilities
Highlighting the delicate balance between open communication and legal protection
Cons
Accusations of suppression of evidence and subverting legal processes
Criticism from federal judges for Google's communication policies