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Google Employees Resign in Protest Against Pentagon Contract (gizmodo.com)
Kate Conger, reporting for Gizmodo: It's been nearly three months since many Google employees -- and the public -- learned about the company's decision to provide artificial intelligence to a controversial military pilot program known as Project Maven, which aims to speed up analysis of drone footage by automatically classifying images of objects and people. Now, about a dozen Google employees are resigning in protest over the company's continued involvement in Maven.
The resigning employees' frustrations range from particular ethical concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in drone warfare to broader worries about Google's political decisions -- and the erosion of user trust that could result from these actions. Many of them have written accounts of their decisions to leave the company, and their stories have been gathered and shared in an internal document, the contents of which multiple sources have described to Gizmodo.
The resigning employees' frustrations range from particular ethical concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in drone warfare to broader worries about Google's political decisions -- and the erosion of user trust that could result from these actions. Many of them have written accounts of their decisions to leave the company, and their stories have been gathered and shared in an internal document, the contents of which multiple sources have described to Gizmodo.
It was never "Do no harm". It is "Don't be evil". Harming one's legitimate enemies is not only not evil, but perfectly just and, indeed, noble.
Indeed, refusing to help America's military to do so would be evil — especially for an entity, which is itself enjoying the considerable freedoms and safety thanks to that same military.
From TFA:
This is the continuation of sabotage which began in the 60ies. These "protesters" targeting the effort to make American weapons more effective, ought to be publicly named and shamed until they relent and apologize. And whoever hires them — boycotted.
One of those resigning is quoted:
Though by "here" he was referring to Google, the very same question ought to be asked of him about the US.
Why are you still here, mister? Millions of people world-wide dream of becoming Americans. Go back to whence your ancestors came from and free up the room for people, who give this country its due appreciation.
In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
Just one, you reckon? You haven't been paying attention for very long. We've been doing it for many more than one. How do you suppose we acquired a sitting sociopathic President?
The legitimate aims of government? Defend the nation? Open your eyes, this nation hasn't been defended in over 70 years. Instead we go all over the world, using war to promote our commercial and political interests and in general slaughtering people in their own countries. People that are of no conceivable threat to America or Americans. Now we want to slaughter these people more efficiently and quickly, and you call it 'defend[ing] our nation'! How sad. Wake up and smell the blood.
We are literally talking about the only part of the government here that is able to freely kill innocent people.
The last time I recall a private corporation actually going to war on any serious scale (occasional Mark Thatcher lead mercenaries excepting) was Cecil Rhode's British South Africa Company, in the 19th Century.
Today, corporations can be pretty evil, but they don't generally go out of their way to kill innocent people. Right now you're comparing collecting information used to target ads with removing the human check in a chain that, without the person, inevitably leads to innocent bystanders being killed. I think you need your moral compass remagnetized.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.