Free speech versus providing an outlet for people to spread hate is an issue that Google will need to deal with on its Orkut social-networking service. The New York Times article: Hate Messages on Google Site Draw Concern, offers an overview.
The hatemongering is fast becoming an embarrassment for Google, the world’s most popular search engine, particularly because the company has adopted “don’t be evil” as its motto. The potential for tarnishing Google’s gold-plated brand name also underscores the risks the company faces as it expands into new Internet businesses in which it has less experience.
For Google, the trouble on Orkut – which is still in beta, or test, form – could easily escalate. A prosecutor in Brazil, where the service is especially popular, has already initiated an investigation into some of the more virulent Orkut sites.