Google finally tackles its biggest enemy: Itself

The "Don't Be Evil" company is actually grappling with the techlash

There were many genuinely inspiring moments in Google's keynote presentation this week, but it was a small detail that caught my eye. In the midst of its annual I/O conference, a new feature in the Android photos app was shown off: Users who had old black and white photos could now colorize them. What once took hours or even days of painstaking work will soon be able to be done instantly on your phone.

It was indicative of the tone of Google's presentation, probably the most impressive tech keynote that has come along in some time. From digital assistants that can make phone calls to cameras that can recognize street signs, Google was on a mission to wow its audience. It generally succeeded. Yet, with all new shiny tech comes a host of ethical concerns. And simmering underneath the showy presentation was a sense that Google's mission wasn't just to impress, but that the company was finally tackling its biggest enemy: itself.

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Navneet Alang

Navneet Alang is a technology and culture writer based out of Toronto. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, New Republic, Globe and Mail, and Hazlitt.