Reply #6: You assumption that this "conflict of interest" hangs on...

[Duke Newcombe]

...is that Google is some public trustee, that "owes" something to you. In spite of the "don't be Evil" mantra that the original founders have, at the end of the day, it is a corporation, beholden to stockholders, and responsible to return value. This doesn't come from passing customers by, unless it's proven (not in an "I sense a disturbance in the force" way) that having customer X will be detrimental to the company.

And what I meant by leverage. Right now, Google holds the whip handle, so to speak. It has something (not our data...their technology) that the CIA wants and needs very badly (and are probably paying through the nose with our tax $$$ to obtain). Google has the best in the market. If say, DukeTech came up with an even more effective product, then the CIA would dump Google like a hot rock, and go with, say, my company.

If the barista at Starbucks wanted dirt on you, and I had information on you, is it conflict of interest for me to trade money with him in order to get my MochaJavaLatte from that Starbucks? I think that's a pretty high (and impractical) bar.

Right now, I'm perceiving you're not liking this because of what you perceive they <might> do. I personally require evidence (either of wrongdoing or proclivity to wrongdoing). I've yet to be presented with either (though, at the end of the day, you owe me nothing).

Duke