Google Workers Detained By Police for Protesting Cloud Contract with Israel
WiredAPR 2024
Google Fires 28 Workers for Protesting $1.2B Israel Contract
Image copyright: Noah Lovebear via Wikimedia Commons
The Spin
Narrative A
While Google is aware that Tuesday's protests were the work of a small group of people who do not represent the majority of the company's employees, it's important to note that disruptive behavior has no place in the workplace. Unprofessionalism will not be tolerated, and Google is well within its rights to act against disorderly conduct, up to and including termination.
Narrative B
These firings were illegal and retaliatory, given that the protests were peaceful. Google shouldn't be involved in any military contracts, and Project Nimbus and its association with the catastrophe taking place in Gaza are disturbing. The company clearly cares more about profit than it does about the well-being of its employees or taking an ethical stance on the role of AI in conflict and human rights.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 72% chance that "slaughterbots" kill at least 50 people outside a military conflict by 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.