More than 900 Google employees have signed an open letter demanding the tech giant sever ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), citing ethical concerns over the agencies’ actions. The letter, penned by a group calling themselves “Googlers Against ICE,” expresses deep dismay regarding the alleged involvement of Google’s technology in surveillance and enforcement activities that they deem harmful and repressive.
The employees are particularly critical of Google Cloud’s alleged support for CBP surveillance initiatives and its role in powering Palantir’s ImmigrationOS system, which is reportedly utilized by ICE. Furthermore, the letter points to the use of Google’s generative artificial intelligence by CBP and notes the platform’s decision to block certain ICE tracking applications from the Google Play Store.
The signatories highlight the perceived hypocrisy within the company, referencing a statement by Google Chief Scientist Jeff Dean in early January. Dean reportedly wrote, “We all bear a collective responsibility to speak up and not be silent when we see things like the events of the last week.” The employees echo this sentiment, stating, “We are vehemently opposed to Google’s partnerships with DHS, CBP, and ICE. We consider it our leadership’s ethical and policy-bound responsibility to disclose all contracts and collaboration with CBP and ICE, and to divest from these partnerships.”
The open letter outlines a series of demands, including an immediate disclosure of all contracts and collaborations with CBP and ICE, followed by divestment from these partnerships. It also calls for an emergency internal Q&A session addressing the company’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and military contracts, and the implementation of safety measures to protect workers, such as flexible remote work policies and immigration support. The employees assert that they “demand that our leadership end our backslide into contracting for governments enacting violence against civilians.”
This internal dissent arises at a time when tech industry employees are increasingly vocal about the ethical implications of their companies’ work with government agencies involved in immigration enforcement. The “Googlers Against ICE” letter follows a similar petition launched by employees from Amazon, Spotify, Meta, and other tech firms, who collectively urged ICE to be “out of our cities.” The ongoing scrutiny underscores a growing tension between technological advancement and the societal responsibilities of major tech corporations, particularly as their powerful platforms are integrated into critical, and often controversial, governmental functions.
Google has not immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the open letter and its demands. The situation highlights a broader conversation within the tech sector about corporate ethics, the dual-use nature of advanced technologies, and the evolving expectations employees have for their employers’ impact on society. The internal pressure on Google suggests a potential shift in how tech workers view their professional contributions and their willingness to accept or reject projects based on ethical considerations, potentially influencing future contract negotiations and corporate social responsibility strategies.
Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/17176.html
