What Google's artificial intelligence principles left out

We're in a golden age for hollow corporate statements sold as high-minded ethical treatises. Last year, in the thick of its fake news scandal, Facebook released a 5,000-word document outlining, well, I'm still not sure exactly. The letter attempted to pull the company out of its public opinion black hole by posing probing questions, including the head-scratcher: "How do we help people build supportive communities that strengthen traditional institutions in a world where membership in these institutions is declining?" The answers were generally of the "build more Facebook" variety. It was a masterstroke in corporate pablum, though not so masterful that it saved the company from the onslaught of bad press.