Google has removed most instances of its famous “Don’t be evil” motto from its code of conduct, 18 years after it was first introduced.

The alteration to its charter, which the tech giant distributes to its employees, took place at some point in late April or early May, according to archives hosted by the Wayback Machine website.

The phrase “Don’t be evil” has been adopted into the company’s code of conduct since 2000, as well as it being used as its unofficial motto.

The expression is ingrained into the company’s culture, with it even acting as a Wi-Fi password on the buses that Google uses to ferry its employees to its Mountain View headquarters in California, sources told Gizmodo.

However the axiom was changed to “do the right thing” in 2015 when Google was reorganised under a new parent company, Alphabet.