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Google Has a New Review Process For Handling Controversial Projects After Backlash Over Censored Search Product For China (businessinsider.com)

Posted by msmash on from the trading-softly dept.

In the wake of reports that Google didn't follow normal procedure in the development of a censored search product for China -- with execs said to have circumvented standard company procedures and shut out important legal and security staffers from deliberations -- the search giant has announced a revamping of its internal review processes. From a report: This week, Google announced that it has established a formal process to review new AI-based initiatives that involve sensitive policy questions. The review structure was announced as a part of the company's six-month update to its AI Principles that CEO Sundar Pichai released in June. According to the report, one hundred reviews have been conducted so far, including a review of its facial recognition technologies for developers -- which the company decided to sideline.

"In a small number of product use-cases -- like a general-purpose facial recognition API -- we've decided to hold off on offering functionality before working through important technology and policy questions," Google wrote. A Google spokesperson told Business Insider that Project Dragonfly was not one of 100 projects referenced in the report and did not face the scrutiny of the newly announced review process.

12 of 43 comments (clear)

  1. What about the old school review process by mobby_6kl · · Score: 2

    Imagine your project made the front page of NYT. Is it good for the company? Y/N.

    1. Re:What about the old school review process by froggyjojodaddy · · Score: 1

      If there's one thing I know that's true in business, it's that any review process designed to prevent illegal / unethical / wrong behavior is going to be circumvented 5 different ways from Sunday.

      In most cases, these "processes" or "audits" exist to be used against lower accountability staff rather than anyone at the C-Level

    2. Re:What about the old school review process by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      It will depend on the spin the NYT puts on it.
      The stuff I do for work would either be saving patients millions of dollars in medical costs, or be an abhorrent violation of their privacy (because they didn't read the HIPAA agreement that they signed)
      For almost every project that is big, there are trade offs that need to be taken. Such trade offs usually has someone on the loosing side. The goal is to make sure there are more people winning then what is being lost.

      Some one with the best of intentions can be posted by the media as being an evil mastermind just by changing the focus on the good to the side effects of every decision made.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    3. Re:What about the old school review process by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Well that is normal. Blame will be pointed down until someone can no longer point anywhere, and take the brunt of a systematic problem, where they were just a cog in a broken system.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    4. Re:What about the old school review process by ayesnymous · · Score: 1

      Any new project would probably result in billions of revenue, so yes it would be good for the company.

  2. And they'll follow that process by Kohath · · Score: 2

    Except when they don't.

  3. Never Admit They Exist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just like every other Defense Contractor building the American Prison Complex.

  4. The Jiminy Cricket Project by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    What Google needs to do is hit someone that has a sense of ethics and a. moral code, and have them approve all other project concepts.

    That's definitely not an internal hire though...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:The Jiminy Cricket Project by swillden · · Score: 1

      What Google needs to do is hit someone that has a sense of ethics and a. moral code, and have them approve all other project concepts.

      That's definitely not an internal hire though...

      You don't think the people who publicly protested the Dragonfly project would qualify?

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  5. Don’t be evil? by ruddk · · Score: 1

    Seems like “don’t be evil” would have filtered that out.

    --
    L'Idiot
  6. Seems their dog food policy would work fine by Solandri · · Score: 1

    "Dog food" = eating what you make. So if they're working on a censored search engine, just force the people making it (and the managers pushing the project) to use it themselves all the time. If they like it, they will work to make it more effective at censoring (i.e. filtering). If they dislike it, they will work to make it less effective at censoring (i.e. include more relevant search results). And the end product you get is one that's better for the users regardless of what the project's stated goals were.

  7. Re: Here are some controvertial projects for revie by astrofurter · · Score: 1

    Remember when Google used to be _good_ at searching the web? I do...