Google 2014 Annual Report Download - page 17

11GOOGLE INC.


disruptions, canceled orders, terminations of or damage to key relationships, and damage to our reputation. If any of them fails
to procure necessary license rights to third-party intellectual property, legal action could ensue that could impact the saleability







for the minerals used in our products.
Web spam and content farms could decrease our search quality, which could damage our reputation and deter our
current and potential users from using our products and services.

in search results than a search engine’s assessment of their relevance and utility would rank them.



face challenges from low-quality and irrelevant content websites, including “content farms”, which are websites that generate large

focused on low-quality websites. If our search results display an increasing number of web spam and content farms, this could

actions to improve our search quality and reduce low-quality content, this may in the short run reduce our AdSense revenues,
since some of these websites are AdSense partners.
Interruption or failure of our information technology and communications systems could hurt our ability to eectively
provide our products and services, which could damage our reputation and harm our operating results.
The availability of our products and services depends on the continuing operation of our information technology and communications

telecommunications failures, computer viruses, computer denial of service attacks, or other attempts to harm our systems. Some
of our data centers are located in areas with a high risk of major earthquakes. Our data centers are also subject to break-ins,


The occurrence of a natural disaster, a decision to close a facility we are using, or other unanticipated problems at our data centers
could result in lengthy interruptions in our service. In addition, our products and services are highly technical and complex and
may contain errors or vulnerabilities, which could result in interruptions in our services or the failure of our systems.
Our international operations expose us to additional risks that could harm our business, operating results, and nancial
condition.



In addition to risks described elsewhere in this section, our international operations expose us to other risks, including the following:
•Changes in local political, economic, regulatory, social, and labor conditions, which may adversely harm our business.
•
Restrictions on foreign ownership and investments, and stringent foreign exchange controls that might prevent us from
repatriating cash earned in countries outside the U.S.
•


•Longer payment cycles in some countries, increased credit risk, and higher levels of payment fraud.
•Still developing foreign laws and legal systems.
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Uncertainty regarding liability for services and content, including uncertainty as a result of local laws and lack of legal precedent.
•
