3 ms·

It's obvious but probably you can't escape responsibility by just writing it on the terms and conditions if you are responsible for something. What if they put

by mrtksn 3y ago

It's obvious but probably you can't escape responsibility by just writing it on the terms and conditions if you are responsible for something. What if they put "we are not responsible for anything, use your judgement" on every product and sell dangerous products? I mean, IMHO they should be able to do that if they warn you properly(not just in the legal text) but that's just my opinion. Is Google Maps responsible? I don't know but I can imagine someone claiming it due to the way information is displayed on the UI. Google maps always shows the information from position of authority, they are always very sure about the information they have and you don't have a clue about how certain they are bout what they tell you. I had multiple situations where Google Maps will direct me very confidently to roads that don't exist and once I had to stop and investigate if the road that Google Maps insist on is viable and the other time I had to turn back as the road conditions deteriorated from SUV-needed to T-80 tank needed. Negligent local authorities combined with authoritative assistant who is wrong and can't tell its wrong can be dangerous. Maybe a UI with more clear communications is needed?

aeurielesn 3y ago
I'm actually at odds at what's Google responsible for exactly. Google isn't paid by the county to provide this service nor Google Maps is a paid service. My first thought was it's the county's fault.
- mrtksn 3y ago
  There can be multiple parties responsible, the county looks like definitely responsible(or not, if it's not an infra where they are responsible to maintain?) but Google can be too. Google Maps is not a free product at all, it's a commercial product provided for free as part of an ad business. It's free as the free soda with the hamburger.
- bmitc 3y ago
  Google offers the service as instructions for how to get somewhere. Google and these other tech companies hide behind excuses that claim these systems are so complex and scaled that they can't possibly be responsible for when they're wrong. But it is they, as in Google, that built, offer, market, and implicitly claim it all works, not the people. Then they cowardly bury in the terms and conditions that it can't be trusted. I am all for tech companies being held liable for what they market. Especially here, because at the end of the day, Google doesn't even care about providing you directions They just want your data that they can resell. But that's not how they market Google Maps. I also think the county should be responsible, but that is in addition.
  - shadowgovt 3y ago
    Keep in mind, those protections are pretty standard for software in general. Most of the open source ecosystem would evaporate immediately if "SOFTWARE PROVIDED AS-IS" wasn't a legally-enforceable culpability abrogation.
    - bmitc 3y ago
      It's different when you're a corporation that makes $300 million annually, plasters the service all over ads and commercials, and buries the "as-is" in however many pages of terms and conditions that constantly update, all the while making money off of the "customer".
      - pixl97 3y ago
        No it is not. Print a map on a piece of paper. You follow it off a cliff. In what world is that the map makers fault?
        bmitc 3y ago
        That isn't what happened.
      - Bjartr 3y ago
        Morally yes, but not legally.
        bmitc 3y ago
        I'm not sure. The analogy was downloading any old open source software with the as-is disclaimer vs Google saying their map system gives you live, up to date, directions and maps but then buries in terms and conditions a claim that they're not responsible. If Google marketed Maps as "for information only", then that would be different.
        shadowgovt 3y ago
chrischen 3y ago
More customer support is needed. Article says bridge collapsed 9 years ago and people used the suggest edit feature and Google ignored it. Even if Google is not fully responsible for a person driving off a cliff, they are definitely negligent.

by mrtksn 3y ago

aeurielesn 3y ago

I'm actually at odds at what's Google responsible for exactly. Google isn't paid by the county to provide this service nor Google Maps is a paid service. My first thought was it's the county's fault.

mrtksn 3y ago
There can be multiple parties responsible, the county looks like definitely responsible(or not, if it's not an infra where they are responsible to maintain?) but Google can be too. Google Maps is not a free product at all, it's a commercial product provided for free as part of an ad business. It's free as the free soda with the hamburger.
bmitc 3y ago
Google offers the service as instructions for how to get somewhere. Google and these other tech companies hide behind excuses that claim these systems are so complex and scaled that they can't possibly be responsible for when they're wrong. But it is they, as in Google, that built, offer, market, and implicitly claim it all works, not the people. Then they cowardly bury in the terms and conditions that it can't be trusted. I am all for tech companies being held liable for what they market. Especially here, because at the end of the day, Google doesn't even care about providing you directions They just want your data that they can resell. But that's not how they market Google Maps. I also think the county should be responsible, but that is in addition.
- shadowgovt 3y ago
  Keep in mind, those protections are pretty standard for software in general. Most of the open source ecosystem would evaporate immediately if "SOFTWARE PROVIDED AS-IS" wasn't a legally-enforceable culpability abrogation.
  - bmitc 3y ago
    It's different when you're a corporation that makes $300 million annually, plasters the service all over ads and commercials, and buries the "as-is" in however many pages of terms and conditions that constantly update, all the while making money off of the "customer".
    - pixl97 3y ago
      No it is not. Print a map on a piece of paper. You follow it off a cliff. In what world is that the map makers fault?
      - bmitc 3y ago
        That isn't what happened.
    - Bjartr 3y ago
      Morally yes, but not legally.
      - bmitc 3y ago
        I'm not sure. The analogy was downloading any old open source software with the as-is disclaimer vs Google saying their map system gives you live, up to date, directions and maps but then buries in terms and conditions a claim that they're not responsible. If Google marketed Maps as "for information only", then that would be different.
        shadowgovt 3y ago

chrischen 3y ago

More customer support is needed. Article says bridge collapsed 9 years ago and people used the suggest edit feature and Google ignored it. Even if Google is not fully responsible for a person driving off a cliff, they are definitely negligent.