During a keynote speech in New York on Monday from the managing director of Google’s Israel business, an employee in the company’s cloud division protested publicly, proclaiming “I refuse to build technology that powers genocide.”
Google’s role as a provider of technology to militaries in the U.S. and abroad has been a source of workforce consternation since at least 2018, when employees protested a Defense Department contract called Project Maven. Then came controversy surrounding Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion artificial intelligence and computing services agreement among Google, Amazon Web Services and the Israeli government and military that began in 2021.
That outrage has spread to a host of other issues, often leaving CEO Sundar Pichai on the defensive when confronted by employees at company events.
Regev then told the crowd, “Part of the privilege of working in a company, which represents democratic values is giving the stage for different opinions.”
Followed by:
A Google spokesperson said the employee was fired
Do I miss any logical step or a managing director just said that Google doesn’t represent democratic values? 🤔🤔
Step 1: PR comment
Step 2: Actual thing the company doesIt’s the standard corporate playbook
Meme it.
Yea. Choices have consequences
Google is just another whore for the all mighty dollar.
Israel government has deep fucking pockets and the US-Israel relationship validates selling cloud space to host their cyber warfare on Palestine.
You’re right. They know what they’re doing, like every bully knows. They simply don’t care, because “fu, I can take this, so I am taking it.”
Video of the employee speaking out: No cloud Apartheid
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
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I looked up the project and saw this bit
The terms Israel set for the project contractually forbid Amazon and Google from halting services due to boycott pressure.[7][8] The tech companies are also forbidden from denying service to any particular government entities.
How does that work? The citation for that section was from 2021
You guys don’t put a Genocide protection clause in your contracts?
2021- Israel Government says AWS and Google can’t boycott Nimbus Project
When asked if the companies could shut down services, attorney Zviel Ganz of the legal department at the Finance Ministry said such scenarios had been taken into consideration when formulating the tenders. “According to the tender requirements, the answer is no,” he said
Earlier this month more than 250 employees at Google sent a letter to the company’s executive team asking for the termination of contracts with “institutions that support Israeli violations of Palestinian rights,” including the Israel Defense Forces. Though a ceasefire has been declared, more than 250 people were killed during 11 days
This sounds like it should be incredibly illegal
Hasn’t stopped em before. They’ll just hit em with SLAPP lawsuits and hope that they get a favorable judge. Supporters have a history of going after small non-profits and food co-ops:
Unionizing might help.
Though tech tends to be a lot of scabs and “rugged individuals”. But if enough people unionize, it can make it difficult for google to work on projects that the bulk of the staff find objectionable.
Nice
In my search, women in Gaza deserved human rights. For men in got the same “check in Google for up to date news”
Google: “Be evil.”
“Be Evil. Or Don’t Be Evil. Whichever makes us the most money.”
“We know we’re the baddies. Sit down, shut up, and get back to work!”
Is that surprising? Dude spouted off during a work event.
If they fired him for posting shit on his socials that’s quite a bit different than interrupting an employer led conference… would you expect to remain employed if you pulled this stunt tomorrow at your workplace?
This conflict doesn’t get people a free pass on fucking shit up even if they believe they’re acting morally.
Employer led conference for Genocide.
Regev then told the crowd, “Part of the privilege of working in a company, which represents democratic values is giving the stage for different opinions.”
And yes. If Google claims to be a Democratic company this comes with it.
They don’t claim to be a democratic company.
They also removed Do No Evil from their charter.
It’s not surprising, but it’s worth mentioning.
deleted by creator
I stopped using Google a few years ago. Give it a try
But they were fine sucking the Google teat when it was doing everything else?
Gotta draw the line somewhere. And this is a pretty good place.
Not every Google product is cartoon-villain tier evil, but project Nimbus definitely is.
Most people don’t dare speak out about it when their company is actively complicit in Genocide. This employee will no longer be complicit in Genocide.
everything else?
Gotta be at least a bit more specific
Removed by mod
That guy probably posts here
If he does, then I hope he reads this comment saying he is based.
Based on internet fan fiction and doomerpilled
He would be based if he stood up against all the other vile shit Google has done.
T
Protesting a particular issue that riles him, is completely his right and should be applauded. It’s an especially brave thing to do from within the sacred corporate halls of his holy employer, when most people value their income and reputation over life itself (of others)- a common method of control. The idea that you’re not allowed to say a word in opposition unless you target every single possible google indiscretion, at apparently the exact same moment (max 30seconds as captured here possibly?) is ridiculous and pathetic. If he had stood up with a list 2000 matters to raise, would it have made it to your highly critical radar? The contractual, and geopolitical timing is kind of relevant also.
And besides , I wouldn’t be surprised if this person has been dissentful in other cases in other ways internally on smaller matters that didn’t make news. He appears to have a moral compass after all. If you dont have the guts to cause your superiors trouble when you know they’re doing wrong then atleast offer some kind of support to those who do. Not discourage with this kind of ridiculous dissent smothering attempt.
Any effort to expose groogle’s evil on any single matter is valid.
