A 2021 interview of Google CEO Sundar Pichai to BBC is doing the rounds. In the interview Google’s India-born CEO answered a range of questions including the number of phones he uses, his password habits, fragmentation of the internet in terms of free speech and more.
On the number of phones he uses
Pichai said that he uses more than 20 phones at a time for different purposes. “I am constantly changing and trying out every new phone, and I’m testing it out all the time,” he said. Incidentally, as this interview is over 2 years old, one can’t say the number of phones he uses now. But since Android happens to be the most popular operating system with presence on almost 75% devices worldwide, Google CEO may still have lots of trying to do.
Keeping passwords safe
Talking about passwords, Pichai said that he does not change his password frequently. He recommended users opt for “two-factor authentication” instead of changing their passwords frequently. He said that two-factor authentication is way safer than changing passwords every now and then. When you change passwords too frequently, you often have trouble remembering them and you end up mixing them. He added that it is always good to opt for two-factor authentication.
Free and open internet
Talking about internet freedom, Pichai told BBC, “I think a free and open internet is a tremendous force for good, and we take it for granted a bit.” He further added, “In each country now there is a debate about what speech is OK and what should be allowed… in some ways I think we pull back from the bigger picture (which is that) many countries around the world are restricting the flow of information and drawing much more rigid boundaries.”
When asked about whether the Chinese model of internet surveillance is gaining momentum, Pichai said that the free and open internet “is being challenged …” “None of our main products and services are available in China,” he continued, without directly addressing China.
On the number of phones he uses
Pichai said that he uses more than 20 phones at a time for different purposes. “I am constantly changing and trying out every new phone, and I’m testing it out all the time,” he said. Incidentally, as this interview is over 2 years old, one can’t say the number of phones he uses now. But since Android happens to be the most popular operating system with presence on almost 75% devices worldwide, Google CEO may still have lots of trying to do.
Keeping passwords safe
Talking about passwords, Pichai said that he does not change his password frequently. He recommended users opt for “two-factor authentication” instead of changing their passwords frequently. He said that two-factor authentication is way safer than changing passwords every now and then. When you change passwords too frequently, you often have trouble remembering them and you end up mixing them. He added that it is always good to opt for two-factor authentication.
Free and open internet
Talking about internet freedom, Pichai told BBC, “I think a free and open internet is a tremendous force for good, and we take it for granted a bit.” He further added, “In each country now there is a debate about what speech is OK and what should be allowed… in some ways I think we pull back from the bigger picture (which is that) many countries around the world are restricting the flow of information and drawing much more rigid boundaries.”
When asked about whether the Chinese model of internet surveillance is gaining momentum, Pichai said that the free and open internet “is being challenged …” “None of our main products and services are available in China,” he continued, without directly addressing China.
