V3.co.uk readers tell Google's Page: 'Don't be evil'

V3.co.uk readers think that the top priority for Google's newly appointed chief executive should be to improve the firm's ethical conduct, according to our latest poll.

An overwhelming 74 per cent of readers said that Larry Page should make sure that Google lives up to its 'Don't be evil' mantra.

This is likely to be a reaction against Google's long-standing reputation as a company which doesn't take user privacy seriously enough, as evidenced by problems with the Buzz social tool and the Street View data collection scandal. 

The firm was also embroiled in controversy in China, having been accused of kowtowing to the authorities by censoring searches.

Another area that readers believe Google should prioritise is the '20 per cent time', where engineers are given time to focus on their own projects. Some 14 per cent believe that Page should make this a priority.

Interestingly, just six per cent of readers think that Google's anti-trust issues with the EU should be a priority.

Only three per cent of readers feel that Google should streamline its efforts to focus on Android and search, indicating that the majority believe that the company provides a good balance of products and services.

V3.co.uk readers also argued that a social networking strategy should not be a priority, with only three per cent in favour.

Page officially took over the day-to-day running of Google on 4 April, after long standing chief executive Eric Schmidt moved across to become executive chairman.

Page's first official action was to carry out a restructuring to make Google more streamlined. A leaked memo revealed that he also informed staff that 25 per cent of their bonuses would be based on how well Google performs in social media.