--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have something that you don't want…" description: "\"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.\" — Eric Schmidt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg" --- # If you have something that you don't want anyone to know… ![“If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.” quote by Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg) > “If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.” [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If something feels secretive, it likely conflicts with ethical standards; avoid it. **In simple terms:** Secret actions suggest wrongdoing. Key Takeaway Avoid hidden, questionable activities. Themes ethics transparency integrity Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business decisions - personal relationships - online behavior - financial transactions Key Concepts moral philosophy risk management personal accountability Questions to Reflect On - Is secrecy always a red flag? - When is confidentiality appropriate? A Different Perspective Sometimes secrecy is necessary for privacy, not wrongdoing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) ## Related quotes > [“If you have to keep something a secret it's because you shouldn't be doing it in the first place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/if-you-have-to-keep-something-a-secret-it-s-because-you-shouldn-t-be/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I've had times where I'm like, "Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have done that." But, you know, it does grow out fairly quickly, so it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freja-beha-erichsen/i-ve-had-times-where-i-m-like-whoops-maybe-i-shouldn-t-have-done-that/) [Freja Beha Erichsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freja-beha-erichsen/) > [Maybe I shouldn't have had breakfast at Denny's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-kent/maybe-i-shouldn-t-have-had-breakfast-at-denny-s/) Jordan Kent > [If its that easy to let me go, then maybe I shouldn't of been here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnal/if-its-that-easy-to-let-me-go-then-maybe-i-shouldn-t-of-been-here/) Johnnal > [“Maybe I shouldn't have wasted my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tottenham/maybe-i-shouldn-t-have-wasted-my-life/) [John Tottenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tottenham/) > [“I don’t know you either for that matter. So maybe I shouldn’t trust the words of a man who only recently decided to stitch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-spencer/i-don-t-know-you-either-for-that-matter-so-maybe-i-shouldn-t-trust/) [Kimberly Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-spencer/) > [“Put love in everything you do. If you can't, then maybe you shouldn't do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carina-aguilar/put-love-in-everything-you-do-if-you-can-t-then-maybe-you-shouldn-t-do/) Carina Aguilar > [“But maybe you shouldn’t be looking for life to be easier because you choose to do something that is right!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-maybe-you-shouldn-t-be-looking-for-life-to-be-easier-because-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [If you can't laugh about sex, you shouldn't be doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-johanson/if-you-can-t-laugh-about-sex-you-shouldn-t-be-doing-it/) [Sue Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-johanson/) > [If you don't have fun doing the things you love, doing your job, you shouldn't be doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-young/if-you-don-t-have-fun-doing-the-things-you-love-doing-your-job-you/) [Nick Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-young/) > [I guess what I have to say is, "Don't do it." I don't recommend it, because, having said that, the people that should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-winger/i-guess-what-i-have-to-say-is-don-t-do-it-i-don-t-recommend-it/) [Debra Winger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-winger/) > [“We shouldn't be doing this." "You can't look like this and say things like that, Ava.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/we-shouldn-t-be-doing-this-you-can-t-look-like-this-and-say-things/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) > [I think people do things all the time in the name of love that they shouldn't be doing - such is the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-think-people-do-things-all-the-time-in-the-name-of-love-that-they/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If you have to keep a secret it's because you shouldn't be doing it in the first place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/if-you-have-to-keep-a-secret-it-s-because-you-shouldn-t-be-doing-it/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I think that if you don't like something and it's not easy, you shouldn't be doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/i-think-that-if-you-don-t-like-something-and-it-s-not-easy-you/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) ## More by Eric Schmidt > [“When companies get big, they devote most of their care and feeding to the business that got them big. This is as it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/when-companies-get-big-they-devote-most-of-their-care-and-feeding-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way-to-do-it-was-to-these/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [The coach doesn't have to play the sport as well as you do. They have to watch you and get you to be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/the-coach-doesn-t-have-to-play-the-sport-as-well-as-you-do-they-have/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [A mind set in its ways is wasted. Don't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/a-mind-set-in-its-ways-is-wasted-don-t-do-it/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [Just remember when you post something, the computers remember forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/just-remember-when-you-post-something-the-computers-remember-forever/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [I worry that the level of interrupt, the sort of overwhelming rapidity of information — and especially of stressful information — is in fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-worry-that-the-level-of-interrupt-the-sort-of-overwhelming-rapidity/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [The funny thing about advertising is that it's not a zero-sum game... Historically, in the digital ad world, pie has gotten larger and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/the-funny-thing-about-advertising-is-that-it-s-not-a-zero-sum-game/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [There's been spying for years, there's been surveillance for years, and so forth, I'm not going to pass judgement on that, it's the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/there-s-been-spying-for-years-there-s-been-surveillance-for-years-and/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [In general in technology, if you own a platform that's valuable, you can monetize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/in-general-in-technology-if-you-own-a-platform-that-s-valuable-you/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [Android is ahead of the iPhone now,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/android-is-ahead-of-the-iphone-now/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [For those who say you're thinking too big... be smart enough not to listen. For those who say the odds are too small ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/for-those-who-say-you-re-thinking-too-big-be-smart-enough-not-to/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [Find a way to say yes to things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/find-a-way-to-say-yes-to-things/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [I actually think most people don't want Google to answer their questions. They want Google to tell them what they should be doing next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-actually-think-most-people-don-t-want-google-to-answer-their/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [We run the company by questions, not by answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/we-run-the-company-by-questions-not-by-answers/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [We don't have a traditional strategy process, planning process like you'd find in traditional technical companies. It allows Google to innovate very, very quickly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/we-don-t-have-a-traditional-strategy-process-planning-process-like/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) [Explore all 166 Eric Schmidt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) ## More Censorship quotes > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“Censors don’t want children exposed to ideas different from their own. If every individual with an agenda had his/her way, the shelves in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/censors-don-t-want-children-exposed-to-ideas-different-from-their-own/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I don't believe in censorship in any form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-in-any-form/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When there is official censorship it is a sign that speech is serious. Where there is none, it is pretty certain that the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-there-is-official-censorship-it-is-a-sign-that-speech-is-serious/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“I agree that it's a shame some books have to suffer ratings that clearly are invalid. However I can't think of a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-y-chandler/i-agree-that-it-s-a-shame-some-books-have-to-suffer-ratings-that/) Otis Y. Chandler > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [Art made tongue-tied by authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/art-made-tongue-tied-by-authority/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The tendency to want what has been banned and therefore to presume that it is more worthwhile is not limited to such commodities as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-cialdini/the-tendency-to-want-what-has-been-banned-and-therefore-to-presume/) [Robert B. Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [The only thing that is obscene is censorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-is-obscene-is-censorship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/in-a-feature-film-the-question-of-censorship-always-comes-up/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) [Browse all 884 Censorship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Schmidt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-want-anyone-to-know-maybe-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Censorship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-want-anyone-to-know-maybe-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88c/eric-schmidt-2408_censorship_if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-wan_1254850.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.” — Eric Schmidt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eric Schmidt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you have something that you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-want-anyone-to-know-maybe-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/if-you-have-something-that-you-don-t-want-anyone-to-know-maybe-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```