Citing 'Don't Be Evil' Motto, 3,000+ Google Employees Demand Company End Work on Pentagon Drone Project

"By entering into this contract, Google will join the ranks of companies like Palantir, Raytheon, and General Dynamics."

More than 3,000 Google employees have demanded that their company end its involvement in a Pentagon contract to analyze imagery, potentially to improve the targeting of drone strikes. (Photo: yournewswire.com)

More than 3,000 Google employees have signed a letter that's circulating in the company demanding that the tech giant end its involvement in Project Maven, a Pentagon program that could be used to develop drone technology.

The project, the workers argue, runs counter to the company's stated mission and motto.

"By entering into this contract, Google will join the ranks of companies like Palantir, Raytheon, and General Dynamics," wrote the employees, who include senior engineers. "The argument that other firms, like Microsoft and Amazon, are also participating doesn't make this any less risky for Google. Google's unique history, its motto 'Don't Be Evil,' and its direct reach into the lives of billions of users set it apart."

"We believe that Google should not be in the business of war...Building this technology to assist the U.S. Government in military surveillance--and potentially lethal outcomes--is not acceptable." --Google employees

The letter (pdf) comes weeks after reports surfaced that Google was implementing Project Maven, an artificial intelligence surveillance tool, to interpret video imagery--likely in order to improve the targeting of drone strikes. Some Google employees condemned the company's involvement in a recent company-wide meeting, before circulating the letter, according to the New York Times.

"We believe that Google should not be in the business of war," wrote the employees. "Therefore we ask that Project Maven be canceled, and that Google draft, publicize, and enforce a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology."

Google has said the technology it's developing is "non-offensive," while former chief executive Eric Schmidt, who still sits on the board of Google parent company as well as the Pentagon advisory board, claimed in November that the military would use artificial intelligence like Project Maven "to help keep the country safe."

The Google employees issued a clear rejection of Schmidt's suggestion, writing, "This contract puts Google's reputation at risk and stands in direct opposition to our core values. Building this technology to assist the U.S. government in military surveillance--and potentially lethal outcomes--is not acceptable."

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.