A senior Google executive once compared the company’s search advertising business to selling drugs, highlighting the company’s ability to “ignore” users and prioritize revenue from advertising. This statement was made by Michael Roszak, the vice president for finance at Alphabet Inc.’s Google, during a training session in July 2017. Roszak referred to search advertising as one of the world’s greatest business models, with only illicit businesses like cigarettes or drugs rivaling its economics.

Roszak’s notes, which were created for a communications training course, were later used as evidence in the Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google. The government aims to prove that Google engaged in anticompetitive tactics to maintain its dominant position. However, Google denies these allegations.

Google’s lawyers objected to the document being used in court, arguing that it wasn’t a business record. Despite the objections, Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the exhibit would be admitted, expressing frustration with Google for insisting on closed sessions to provide context.

This revelation raises questions about Google’s business practices and its approach to user engagement. It suggests that the company prioritizes revenue from advertising over meeting the demands and needs of its users. This perspective may have implications for how users perceive Google and its impact on the environment.

As an environmentally-focused publication, EcoReporter aims to shed light on the potential environmental implications of Google’s business model. By discussing the comparison made by Roszak and the subsequent legal battle surrounding it, EcoReporter can offer a fresh perspective on the environmental consequences of Google’s search advertising business.