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Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

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Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#141
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here are two realistic facts: 1. Google would be absolutely fine if they do not expand into China. They would not collapse or lose their competitive edge if they refrained from doing so. You've worked at Google for over a decade so you should know this is true. 2. Google's censored search engine would absolutely facilitate Xi Jinping ability to censor the Chinese people and would set a dangerous precedent for other g…

> They would not collapse or lose their competitive edge if they refrained from doing so. Alphabet is a Deleware corporation, where executives that leave money on the table for moral reasons have to at least claim that it was their business judgment that the action would ultimately increase profits for shareholder value in the long term. There are many arguments those executives could make, such as that employees cou…

They have to make decisions in support of their charter, which usually includes profit maximization. Google at least used to have "Don't be Evil" in there, which should be a pretty relevant shield.

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pushback from employees, human rights groups, and congress has already significantly set back the project. The fight has to continue, but I don't understand your defeatism. Source: I publicly resigned from Google over dragonfly and dedicated months of my life and income to fighting it.

I truly admire you for taking a stance and fighting for what you believe in. Figuring out what you can and can't stand for morally is a difficult task. I hope others can feel inspired by you to examine whether they can, in good conscience, continue to support Google. I am not advocating defeatism. I am simply trying to be realistic. It is a fact that within the tech community Google has always been given more lenienc…

> It is a fact that within the tech community Google has always been given more leniency than their competitors, even when they're all guilty of the same crimes.

I would posit that Google is given slightly more leniency because their infractions always tend to be slightly less bad.

• Google tracks everything, but is ever-so-slightly more transparent than Facebook or Amazon, and the opt out process is ever-so-slightly easier.

• Google had their own version of the Facebook's opt-in but highly-invasive research app, but only for people who were over 18 (at least as of the past couple years).

• Android is kind of open source depending on your definition.

• Google left China the first time, whereas Microsoft, Apple, and others continue to operate in the country in compliance with Chinese censorship laws.

I am (very obviously, I hope) not saying Google is an angelic savior, nor that we should accept their actions. However, I do think people's slightly-better opinion of Google is more-or-less commensurate with the company's slightly-better track record.

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#143
post #128

> [Sundar Pichai views] the censorship as a worthwhile trade-off to gain access to the country’s more than 800 million internet users Citation needed. Alternatively, Google's mission of "organizing the world's information" isn't quite complete if it continues not serving China. Alternatively still, the real danger is not lost opportunity, but the emergence of a strong Chinese ecosystem (from network equipment all the…

Sundar has as much vision as a blindfolded mole. He is after the money, plain and simple.

Source: work at google, for ~8 years

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I stated in a comment questioning what possible impact this project could have: "My primary motivation is fighting these types of capitulations becoming precedents. If an American tech company will willfully aid the CCP in preventing information on human rights from spreading and build tools for a nationwide dragnet, what would they ever stand up for?" google.com exists and serves Chinese queries. If the Chinese C…

Not that the extreme methods are morally justified, but FLG is basically Chinese Scientology with the homophobic pieces as well as convincing people to forgo modern medicine for prayer. People die from it. Anti-Vax isn’t even that popular in the US and people are already clamoring for parents to be locked up.

The Chinese government keeps camps of Falun Gong to harvest organs from. The fact that their religion is problematic is not even close to relevant in the face of their oppression.

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I truly admire you for taking a stance and fighting for what you believe in. Figuring out what you can and can't stand for morally is a difficult task. I hope others can feel inspired by you to examine whether they can, in good conscience, continue to support Google. I am not advocating defeatism. I am simply trying to be realistic. It is a fact that within the tech community Google has always been given more lenienc…

> It is a fact that within the tech community Google has always been given more leniency than their competitors, even when they're all guilty of the same crimes. I would posit that Google is given slightly more leniency because their infractions always tend to be slightly less bad. • Google tracks everything, but is ever-so-slightly more transparent than Facebook or Amazon, and the opt out process is ever-so-slightly…

> Google had their own version of the Facebook's opt-in but highly-invasive research app, but only for people who were over 18 (at least as of the past couple years).

This equivocation is a little ridiculous imho. Google's app was literally a tracking app by its very claim, there was no sense of deception or bait-and-switch.

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#146
Maybe this isn't what people want to hear, but there is no reason why Google should not work on some version of their search for China. Google is a huge company (one of the biggest in the world), and they need to diversify their risk by having such an endeavor in their pocket. It DOES NOT mean they need to release it, and it does not mean that even if they do, the version will look like the one they are working on right now.

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#147

I find kind of hypocrite to reject the idea of a company working in a product that serves the Chinese market (which, btw, is ultra protectionist), while actively consuming goods that are manufactured in China. I'm not saying that people don't have the right to morally object something like this project, but it's kind of baffling that many are loudly voicing their concerns and demonizing any company that is attempting…

We are morally objecting on behalf of the People of the People's Republic of China, who are too stupid/incapable to object for themselves.

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An infinite number of people working for Google cannot stop me from not working for them. Which makes no difference to them and all the difference to me. Everybody dies anyway, nobody is remembered, or gets to keep anything; we can build what we want, end result is the same. The only brief moment of reality is our experience of the universe and the kind of life we lead, and if what you claim true for "the vast majori…

Wonderfully put.

I'll take credit for stealing well from good people, but no more :)

https://pastebin.com/gPgy648A

Re: Google Employees Uncover Ongoing Work on Censored China Search

#150

I wonder how people working for the dragonfly project are feeling. It looks like the rest of the company hate what they are doing. But if they support censorship, they might not care what other people are thinking.

A lot of people support the dragonfly project, you just don't hear about them on HN (namely, almost every Chinese people I've talked to).
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