Googlers have , over the preceding few months , been fighting for a louder part and gravid self - finding within a caller that ’s increasingly pass away wide of its bare - minimumunofficial shibboleth , “ do n’t be evil”—and more often than not , they ’re make headway . But there ’s still one enceinte fly in the unguent .
irritation over revelations , first reported byGizmodo , that the cap gem of Silicon Valley was working hand in glove with the Pentagon on an AI - imaging program for drone footage , known as Project Maven , bring internal repercussion and thecancellationof Google ’s loyalty to the undertaking . report by theNew York Timesregarding lucky parachute the company hand to high - rank employee accused of sexual misconduct resulted in coordinated masswalkouts . Thoughnot all demand were met , that display of solidarity wreak an goal to Google ’s long - running practice offorced arbitrationsettlements for sexual wrongful conduct cases .
The exclusion to this string of employee victories — all of which are largely unprecedented in the tech sector — is Project Dragonfly , the search mathematical product Google is evolve for the Chinese grocery . It ’s describe to come bake in with authorities - requested security review and ties queries to users’phone numbers racket , which Amnesty Internationalwarnscould allow for enceinte surveillance . This summer , 1,400 Googlers signed aletterasking ( politely , that time ) for Dragonfly to be mothballed . Another employee , who quit in disgust over the project ’s compliance with the Chinese authorities ’s indirect request , urgedthe Senate to scrutinise Dragonfly .
Still , Dragonfly remains active .
This morning , the fight to shut down Dragonfly step up a step further . Rather than send a letter to company leadership , only to have it leak out to crush soon after , Googlers post the letter in public onMedium — and took the extraordinary risk of publically sign their figure to it , beginning with 10 workers , six of which are in senior or leading function . New public figure will be total as more Googlers sign the varsity letter .
Update : As of noon Eastern on Wednesday , 407 employee have publicly sign the alphabetic character .
Continued exploitation and deployment of Dragonfly would , in the eyes of these dissenters , “ make Google complicit in oppression and human right abuses ” and would create precedent for the companionship to make similarly draconian cock for other extraneous powers .
“ Many of us take employment at Google with the company ’s values in thinker , including itsprevious positionon Formosan censorship and surveillance , and an understanding that Google was a company uncoerced to place its values above its profits , ” the letter reads . “ After a twelvemonth of disappointments includingProject Maven , Dragonfly , andGoogle ’s support for abusers , we no longer believe this is the case . This is why we ’re take a stand . ”
A Google interpreter declined to comment specifically on this issue but bestow that “ We ’ve been investing for many years to facilitate Chinese users , from grow Android , through mobile apps such as Google Translate and Files Go , and our developer tools . But our work on search has been exploratory , and we are not close to establish a hunt product in China . ”
Read the full letter below :
We are Google employees. Google must drop Dragonfly.
We are Google employees and we joinAmnesty Internationalin calling on Google to scrub project Dragonfly , Google ’s effort to createa ban searchengine for the Chinese market thatenables res publica surveillance .
We are among thousands of employees who have raised our voices for calendar month . Internationalhuman rightsorganizationsandinvestigative reportershave also fathom the alarm , emphasizing serious human rights concerns and repeatedly calling on Google to cancel the project . So far , our leadership ’s response has been unsatisfactory .
Our opposite to Dragonfly is not about China : we object to technology that aid the powerful in persecute the vulnerable , wherever they may be . The Chinese government activity surely is n’t alone in its readiness to stifle freedom of expression , and to use surveillance to repress dissent . Dragonfly in China would set up a unsafe precedent at a explosive political moment , one that would make it harder for Google to traverse other country similar grant .
Our company ’s determination comes as the Chinese government is openly expandingits surveillance powersand tool of universe command . Many of these rely on ripe technologies , and meld on-line activeness , personal records , and mass monitoring to track and profile citizens . Reports are already show who bears the monetary value , includingUyghurs , women ’s right advocates , andstudents . Providing the Taiwanese regime with quick access to user data point , asrequired by Taiwanese law , would make Google complicit in oppressiveness and human right contumely .
Dragonfly would also enable censorship and political science - direct disinformation , and destabilize the background verity on which popular calculation and dissent bank . hand the Chinese government ’s reported crushing of dissident interpreter , such ascendency would in all likelihood be used to shut up marginalized people , and favor info that promotes authorities interest .
Many of us go for utilisation at Google with the company ’s note value in creative thinker , including itsprevious positionon Chinese censorship and surveillance , and an understanding that Google was a company willing to place its values above its earnings . After a year of disappointment includingProject Maven , Dragonfly , andGoogle ’s funding for maltreater , we no longer trust this is the case . This is why we ’re taking a point of view .
We join with Amnesty International in demanding that Google call off Dragonfly . We also demand that leadership commit totransparency , clear communication , and real accountability . Google is too potent not to be carry accountable . We merit to know what we ’re build and we deserve a say in these significant decisions .
bless ,
Ammar Aijazi , Software EngineerAlejandro Alderman , Software EngineerDavid H. Alexander , Senior Software EngineerRandy Almand , Software EngineerAlon Altman , Senior Site Reliability EngineerNina - Marie Amadeo , Software EngineerChristopher Anderson , Senior Software EngineerRyan Anderson , Site Reliability EngineerAllison Andrews , Site Reliability EngineerWesley Aptekar - Cassels , Site Reliability EngineerGuillaume Aubian , Software EngineerDaniel Bali , Software EngineerJanos Barbero , Software engineerEric Barndollar , Staff Software EngineerPierre - Alexandre Bastarache Roberge , Software DeveloperLaetitia Baudoin , Software EngineerDaniel Bauman , Software EngineerDavid Bendebury , Software EngineerSteven Bills , Software EngineerMax Bittker , Software EngineerRyan Biwer , Software EngineerNaomi Black , Technical Program ManagerDonald S. Black , Software EngineerAdam Blackburn Norberg , Senior Software EngineerBryan Blatt , Software EngineerDan Boger , Site Reliability EngineerPeter Boothe , Software EngineerDavid Bort , Staff Software EngineerPierre Bourdon , Senior Software EngineerJen Bourey , Staff Software EngineerJeff Bowden , Senior Software EngineerKeith Brady , Staff Site Reliability EngineerGordon Brander , DesignerShawn Brenneman , Software EngineerMichael Bringle , Software EngineerChad Brubaker , Senior Software EngineerChristian Brunschen , Software EngineerColm Buckley , Engineering DirectorLiza Burakova , Security EngineerBri Burr , Software EngineerToby Burress , Site Reliability EngineerJason Cahoon , Site Reliability EngineerFrancis Carr , Software EngineerErik Carter , Art DirectorMike Castle , Release EngineerMike Castner , Program ManagerJohn Cater , Senior Software EngineerClay Caviness , Site Reliability EngineerRodrigo Chandia , Software EngineerCraig Chasseur , Senior Software EngineerIsaac Clerencia , Site Reliability EngineerMarc Cohen , Staff Developer AdvocateTravis Collins , Senior Software EngineerMarie Collins , Business AnalystMike Conley , Senior Technical Program ManagerPatrick Conner , Software EngineerOllie Cook , Site Reliability EngineerBrett Cooley , Software EngineerCharles Crissman , Senior Software EngineerStryder Crown , Custom Solutions EngineerCian Cullinan , Site Reliability EngineerMarco Cunha , Strategic Cloud EngineerPhilip Davis , Site Reliability EngineerMichael De Rosa , Site Reliability EngineerDamien Desfontaines , Privacy EngineerSusan Dickey , Software EngineerKate Donahue , Software EngineerDon Dresser , Technical Program ManagerKarel Driesen , Senior Software EngineerGrégoire Duchêne , Software EngineerPaul Duke , Software EngineerThai Duong , Information Security EngineerBen Eggers , Site Reliability EngineerAbraham Egnor , Senior Software EngineerTodd Eisenberger , Senior Software EngineerAlexandre Emelianov , Software EngineerBurcin Erocal , Site Reliability EngineerGabriel Ewing , Software EngineerMichael Falgoust , UX ResearcherNick Felt , Software EngineerMark Fickett , Software EngineerSean Finney , Site Reliability EngineerPaul Fisher , Senior software engineerLiz Fong - Jones , Staff Developer AdvocateRoman Franchuk , Site Reliability EngineerAmr Gaber , Software EngineerCory Gagliardi , Software EngineerMatthew Garrett , Staff Security EngineerNicole Gfroerer , Program ManagerDan Glick , Software EngineerBeth Goldberg , Research Program ManagerBrian Goldman , Software EngineerBoaz Goldstein , Site Reliability EngineerPedro Gonnet , Senior Software EngineerIan Gowen , Software EngineerReilly Grant , Senior Software EngineerSachith Gullapalli , Software EngineerAndrew Gunsch , Staff Software EngineerLogan Hanks , Staff Software EngineerShawn Hannah , Technical Program ManagerAndy Herrman , Senior Software EngineerJohnicholas Hines , Software EngineerPaul Hobbs , Software EngineerSarah Hodne , Site Reliability EngineerAidan Holloway - Bidwell , Software Engineer in Tools and InfrastructureTyler Holsclaw , IT ResidentAaron Homer , Software EngineerDan Hope , UX WriterWaldemar Horwat , Staff Software EngineerDavid B Huang , Strategy & Operations AssociateSebastian Hubbard , Software EngineerEric Hustvedt , Site Reliability EngineerSimon Ilyushchenko , Software EngineerKelli Ireland , Software EngineerDan Irwin , Senior Test EngineerMichał Jabczyński , Software EngineerKeith Jackson , Software EngineerPhoebe Jenkins , Software EngineerBrandon Jewett - Hall , Software EngineerHongming Jin , Senior Software EngineerTim Johnson , Sr . 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Mills , Senior Software EngineerPhillips Mitchell , Vendor ManagerJessa Mittleman , Staff Software EngineerSteven Monacelli , Program ManagerSven Mueller , Site Reliability EngineerCristina Munoz , Software EngineerBert Muthalaly , Software EngineerAditi Nagaraj , Software EngineerDan Nanas , Program ManagerMax Nash , Software EngineerChristopher Neffshade , Data ScientistJohn Nesky , Software EngineerRob Neuhaus , Software EngineerNed Nguyen , Staff Software EngineerBen Niemann , Site Reliability EngineerMike Nonemacher , Staff Software EngineerPeter Nuttall , Site Reliability EngineerAndrew Olsen , Senior Software EngineerJohn Olson , Software Engineering ManagerKjetil Ørbekk , Senior Software EngineerAyla Ounce , Site Reliability EngineerChris Palmer , Staff Software EngineerJohn Panzer , Software EngineerStephanie Parker , Policy SpecialistVanja Pejovic , Software EngineerJohn Phillpot , Site Reliability EngineerAnthony Polito , Software EngineerIan Post , Software EngineerMichael Powell , Software EngineerJoshua Pratt , Software EngineerAlessandro Preite Martinez , Site Reliability EngineerXavid Pretzer , Staff Software EngineerVikas Pydah , Software EngineerSverre Rabbelier , Senior Software EngineerJesper Ramsgaard , UX researcherBurton Rast , UX Design LeadConnor Regan , Product Marketing Manager , HardwareTom Renn , Software EngineerJacqueline Rogoff , Software Engineer Tools and InfrastructureNatasha Ross , Executive Business PartnerMichael Safyan , Senior Software EngineerEric Salo , Software EngineerMike Samuel , Staff Software EngineerMichael K. Sanders , Senior Software EngineerAprotim Sanyal , Site Reliability EngineerMichael Saunders , Product ManagerChristopher Schmidt , Senior Software EngineerErty Seidohl , Software EngineerYash Sekhon , Software EngineerAli Shah , Staff Software EngineerAdam Shaw , Site Reliability EngineerKimos Shehata , Software EngineerMartin Shelton , UX ResearcherAndrew Sherman , Software EngineerMichael Shields , Software EngineerMatthew Siegler , Senior Software EngineerAustin Sims , Software EngineerJoëlle Skaf , Staff Software EngineerSophie Smithburg , Site Reliability EngineerJacob Smullyan , Senior Software EngineerDerek Snyder , Software EngineerKyle Spiers , Security EngineerAndrew Stebbins , Software EngineerBen Stewart , Staff Software EngineerAlec Story , Senior Software EngineerStevie Strickland , Software EngineerBrian Swetland , Senior Staff Software EngineerHuseyin Tasbent , Account ManagerJennifer Thakar , Software EngineerDaniel Thornburgh , Software Engineer in Tools and InfrastructureArthur Tilley , Software EngineerFinbarr Timbers , Research EngineerValentin Tolmer , Software EngineerJonathan Tomer , Software EngineerOmer Torok , Account ManagerSeth Troisi , Software EngineerPhilip Tucker , Software EngineerZora Tung , Software EngineerJakub Turski , Site Reliability EngineerRose Valle , Software EngineerFilippo Valsorda , Senior Software EngineerAndrei Vancea , Senior Software EngineerSandeep Vijayasekar , Software EngineerSalim Virji , Site Reliability EngineerJoel Votaw , Software EngineerRyan Waldman , Software EngineerRachel Walker , User Experience ResearcherAdrienne Walker , Staff Software EngineerShawn Wallace , Engineering ManagerJazbel Wang , Software EngineerMichael Weatherford , Test EngineerChris Weisiger , Software EngineerNatalie Weizenbaum , Software EngineerGuillaume Wenzek , Software EngineerMeredith Whittaker , Google Open Research LeadRachel Wiens , Software EngineerKimberly Wilber , Software EngineerJamie Wilkinson , Senior Site Reliability EngineerJohn Wohn , Cloud Program ManagerRyan Wolf , Senior Software EngineerBenjamin Wolf , Senior Software EngineerJames Woodyatt , Software EngineerDavid Worsham , Senior Software EngineerEdmund Wright , Software EngineerHuajie Wu , Software Engineer , Tools and InfrastructureTariq Yusuf , Privacy Software EngineerJoel Zacharias , Senior Software EngineerAlexandre Zani , Software EngineerSusanna Zaraysky , Content Strategist , Material DesignJean Zheng , Senior Staff Technology ManagerBonnie Zhou , Software EngineerAugustin Zidek , Research EngineerMiriam Zimmerman , Software EngineerElsa Zuckerman , Software Engineer
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