Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview

Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by georgeek on Friday November 30, 2018 @03:52AM (#18567701)

Just a reminder that Google, or any company for that matter, has a fiduciary duty towards their shareholders to file a patent for everything they have learned about and that hasn't been patented yet.

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by kbutler on Friday November 30, 2018 @04:07AM (#18567767)

There's a common myth that companies have "a fiduciary duty" to make as much money as possible (especially short-term), but this has no basis in law in the US.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/13-354.html "modern corporate law does not require for-profit corporations to pursue profit at the expense of everything else, and many do not do so... a for-profit corporation may take costly pollution-control and energy-conservation measures that go beyond what the law requires. A for-profit corporation that operates facilities in other countries may exceed the requirements of local law regarding working conditions and benefits. "

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/04/16/what-are-co... "companies that maximize profits by firing employees, avoiding taxes, selling shoddy products or polluting the environment can harm their shareholders more than helping them."

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by philpem on Friday November 30, 2018 @04:36AM (#18567881)

Thing is, if a CEO doesn't pursue profit and shareholder dividends above all else, they probably won't last long until the investors and board members vote them out.

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by PurpleBoxDragon on Friday November 30, 2018 @09:27AM (#18569303)

>"companies that maximize profits by firing employees, avoiding taxes, selling shoddy products or polluting the environment can harm their shareholders more than helping them."

In which case are they really maximizing profits? Wouldn't it depend upon the risk and costs of those options verses their benefits?

It's like genetic algorithms that look like they don't work because someone miscalculated exactly what the fitness function was optimizing.

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by monochromatic on Friday November 30, 2018 @10:34AM (#18569784)

Filing a patent application for an idea you stole from another person is illegal (because you’re not the actual inventor, and the inventor oath you sign would be a lie).

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by sn41 on Friday November 30, 2018 @04:34AM (#18567863)

Is this really the case? I know that Milton Friedman promoted this idea, but can pursuing some welfare at the cost of short-term profits be an offence?

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by ionised on Friday November 30, 2018 @07:14AM (#18568527)

I think it's time we all stopped listening to anything Friedman said.

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Re:Google Tried to Patent My Work After a Job Interview by sn41 on Friday November 30, 2018 @10:41AM (#18569845)

I couldn't agree more. Amen.

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