Glenn Beck: "There is a Strange Thing Going on" with Google and the U.S. Government

Fox News host Glenn Beck continued his anti-Google campaign on Wednesday, arguing that "there is a strange thing going on with this search engine and our government" and urging viewers to "do your own homework on Google" - and not by Googling it.

Beck, who in a previous episode of Fox's "Glenn Beck" accused the company of being "pretty deeply in bed with the government," elaborated on his concerns last night, claiming that the company was using its power for political means and failing to protect users' privacy.

Noting that Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said he was "very, very proud" of Wael Ghonim, the Google executive who helped organize the Egyptian protests that ultimately led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, Beck argued that the company was guilty of "bizarrely inserting Google into the story of the Egyptian revolution."

"I'm really not sure I want my search engine involved in government overthrows, good or bad," he said. "What I want from a search engine is good search results."

But Beck went on to say that "this is not the issue." The issue, he argued, is that "there is a strange thing going on with this search engine and our government. And we all have to choose who we do business with."

Beck pointed to three reasons he is "not feeling comfortable about the current direction of Google": First, that "they are working really, really closely with the government"; second, that "they are working way too close with hard-core leftists," and finally that "they are not working hard enough on your privacy."

He emphasized, however, that he was not calling for a boycott.

"I'm not leading any boycott," he said. "I hate boycotts."

Nevertheless, Beck closed his speech by urging viewers to do their own research on the merits of the company, and promised that Thursday's show would include tips on how to "avoid companies like Google."

"If you begin to have questions on Google, will the press treat you as that or a conspiracy theorist?" Beck asked. "I encourage you to do your own homework on Google, I don't recommend Google it, but do you own homework. And everyone else we talk about on this program, look into it yourself, because you must make your own decision. But when it comes to a very hard left company in tight with very hard left organizations and our government, and they have been loose with privacy, my mind has been pretty much made up. It's up to you."