Google Stakeholders Alarmed By Ethical Challenges of Contract with Israeli Government

Justine Calma, reporting in The Verge, writes that the deal between Google and the Israeli government, Project Nimbus, signed in 2021, raised questions about the company’s ethics and reputation due to its potential connection to human rights violations in the West Bank.

Despite internal deliberations, Google moved forward with the agreement, defending it as compliant with its terms of service and acceptable use policy.

Project Nimbus offers cloud computing, videoconferencing, and AI-powered analytics to Israeli government ministries, including a $525 million component of the contract with the Ministry of Defense.

Calma cites a New York Times report that before signing, Google consulted with firms like Business for Social Responsibility, which advised measures to prevent misuse of its technology. The final contract did not implement these recommendations, including barring sensitive AI applications.

The contract included rights for Google to suspend customers for policy violations but excluded safeguards against surveillance or weapon-related AI use. Google officials were said to have expressed concerns about the legal implications of accessing Israeli data and potential conflicts with international legal standards.

Protests within Google escalated following the Israel-Hamas war, with employee terminations and sit-ins opposing the deal. The protestors argued that the contract violates Google’s AI principles and ethical commitments.

Google defended its stance, asserting that the project aligns with its commercial cloud services policies and is not directed at sensitive military applications. However, documents suggest the agreement includes “adjusted” terms, diverging from Google’s standard policies.

Legal advisors should be aware of risks to corporate integrity in sensitive engagements and the need to draft contracts with clear boundaries for technology use that comply with international legal standards.