Translated material
Google employees speak out against secret development of censored search engine for China
About a thousand Google employees have signed an open letter to the company's management after it became known that Google plans to launch a censored search engine in China.
The New York Times, which obtained access to the letter, said Google's decision to bow to China's censorship restrictions and begin secretly developing a search engine for the Chinese market raises "moral and ethical questions."
The letter calls for employees to be allowed to participate in the ethical assessment of Google products, for the results of this assessment to be published, and for decision-making in the company to be transparent.
"We need more transparency, a seat at the table, and a commitment to a clear and open process. Googlers need to know what they are building," the letter said.
- In the spring of 2018, Google employees protested the company's collaboration with the Pentagon on the Project Maven program to recognize people in drone images using artificial intelligence.
- Google employees expressed concerns that their work could be used to kill people. Shortly after, the company said it would not renew its contract with the Pentagon.