Google Workers Sign Letter Seeking End To China Search Project (bloomberg.com) 54
A group of Google employees have put their name to a public letter calling on the company to abandon its plans for a Chinese search product that censors results. From a report: Project Dragonfly, as the initiative is known, would enable state surveillance at a time when the Chinese government is expanding controls over the population, according to the letter signed by at least 10 workers, predominately software engineers and researchers. The document also called on management to commit to transparency, be accountable and provide clear communication.
Ever since plans for Dragonfly emerged in August, Google parent Alphabet has been riven by internal dissent at the prospect of a search engine bending to Beijing's censorship. It was that sort of government control that prompted co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to effectively pull out of China in 2010 when it decided to stop removing controversial links from web queries. "We refuse to build technologies that aid the powerful in oppressing the vulnerable, wherever they may be," the Google workers wrote in the letter. "Dragonfly in China would establish a dangerous precedent, one that would make it harder for Google to deny other countries similar concessions."
Ever since plans for Dragonfly emerged in August, Google parent Alphabet has been riven by internal dissent at the prospect of a search engine bending to Beijing's censorship. It was that sort of government control that prompted co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to effectively pull out of China in 2010 when it decided to stop removing controversial links from web queries. "We refuse to build technologies that aid the powerful in oppressing the vulnerable, wherever they may be," the Google workers wrote in the letter. "Dragonfly in China would establish a dangerous precedent, one that would make it harder for Google to deny other countries similar concessions."
Welcome to business (Score:2)
I am guessing a lot of these people signing it, are fresh out of college with no experience at any other work place environment. No matter where I work, I have came across people who quit their job because their employer is doing something that seems unethical.
This could be as simple as not bending over backwards to apply a rush fix to an easy to avoid bug, that causes a little disturbance. Sitting in sales meetings where the sales guys seems to oversell the product.
But the thing is it isn't a perfect worl
they can be replaced (Score:4, Interesting)
Good thing they are at will workers. If they lack the will to help google succeed, then google should have no will to pay them. Ignoring china just means Baidu or Ten-cent gets first dibs. Doesn't change anything excpet google's influence on china. It's better for china to have google, crippled or not, than only local providers. Can't push back or stretch boundaries if you are not in the game.
Of course it's reprehensible to have to curtail freedoms from the point of view of the google employees. So they are right to protest too. They can take their principles to someone else not interested in chinese market expansion. Google can hire some employees in china. Everybody is happy.
Fat chance (Score:3, Interesting)
The interesting thing to keep an eye out for is whether they will have the balls to resign when they realize that Google only cares about social issues as long as it's good for the bottom line.
Re: (Score:2)
Yep. Signing letters is pointless. Put their livelihoods on the line, and quit.
I am betting that this will not lead to any people actually "leaving" so while it might feel good to sign on the line that is dotted, they are really accomplishing nothing.
Move along, nothing to see here
Re: (Score:2)
Then good on them for holding their own ethical standard, and taking a real stance (not just complaining and virtue signalling like crazy). I admire someone that makes a hard call for ethical reasons.
The big question is how replaceable this person is. If it's trivial to slot another person in the role, then it's of limited effect. There again, in the perspective I have, it's not about forcing the world into your ethics, it's about standing up and doing the right thing (which is what this leaver has done;
"for-profit" also means over dead bodies. (Score:1)
Not because you want to. But because if you don't, your competitor will do it, and you'll be one of the causalities.
It's the foundation of capitalism. The principle that the only judge is "the market", and the only law is profit maximization. Nobody knows why, but profit. No actual purpose, like advancement of humanity, or a good life, required. It's just implied that a lot of money means a good life. And ignored that wherever that money comes from, will, by that same logic, have a bad life.
Can't we just ha
Collaboration is very evil (Score:2)
Google collaborating with China is extremely evil.
Which is why it must be destroyed.
Re: (Score:2)
how about that (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm sure a letter will have the execs quaking in their boots.
I wonder if for some of these people, this is the first time that whining has not worked for them. It must be quite a shock.
(And I say that as someone who thinks that building a censored search for Chinese communists is evil as all get out.)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
When Putin started taking over, the first thing he did was gain control over the TV news stations. He brought in soulless western bastards to manage them.
Google now evil ... (Score:2, Interesting)
Exactly this.
You need to pretty much conclude that once Google does this for China, they are going to have to roll over and do it for every fucking government.
Google participating in any form in any type of government censorship or surveillance pretty much establishes them as a company who will do anything for a buck, and who have long since given up on any fiction
We refuse to build technologies that aid the... (Score:1)
We refuse to build technologies that aid the powerful...
Seriously? You took a job work for an overgrown ad agency and have the total lack of self-awareness to publicly state that?
Might as well put a "Kick Me! I'm a clueless fucking moron!" sign on yourself.
JFC, EARTH CALLING!!!!
Meanwhile, they happily accept surveilance money (Score:1)
from the global surveilance and profiling company that Google is. Americans and double standards go hand in hand.
Enjoy your job search, ex-Google workers (Score:1)
* Been reading The Mote In God's Eye and The Gripping Hand by Niven and Pournelle again, that's where that reference comes from. Check them out if you like science fiction, they're good
There are DOZENS of us (Score:2)
DOZENS!
At least one of the signers is fully in favor (Score:3)
At least one of the signers, Colm Buckley, is fully in favor of implementing censorship right here in the good olâ(TM) USA. Not kidding, search him up.