In response to protests over a $1.2 billion contract to supply cloud computing and artificial intelligence services to the Israeli government, Google has fired 28 employees. The protests, organized by a group called No Tech For Apartheid, were sparked by concerns about technology being used by the Israeli government amid the Gaza war. Google has stated that the technology provided under the contract, known as Project Nimbus, is not being used for weaponry or intelligence gathering. The tensions escalated with nine employees being arrested during sit-in protests in New York and Sunnyvale, California, prompting the company to take action.
The firing of the 28 employees was attributed to their behavior during the protests, which Google deemed as “completely unacceptable” and creating a threatening atmosphere. The company has stated that it is still investigating the events surrounding the protests, hinting that more workers could face consequences. However, No Tech For Apartheid has disputed Google’s claims, accusing the company of prioritizing its contract with the Israeli government over its own workers. The group described the sit-in protest as peaceful and claimed that it received overwhelming support from other workers who were not involved in the demonstration.
The contract at the center of the controversy falls under Google’s cloud computing division, overseen by Thomas Kurian, a former Oracle executive. Under Kurian’s leadership, the cloud computing division has seen significant growth, with revenue reaching $33 billion last year, a 26% increase from the previous year. While Google has faced internal dissent over its business deals and ethical concerns regarding artificial intelligence development, the company has continued to thrive financially. Despite past protests leading to the termination of projects like “Project Maven” with the U.S. defense department, Google’s revenue primarily comes from digital advertising, supported by its dominant search engine.
Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., recorded a $74 billion profit last year and now employs around 182,000 workers worldwide. This marks a significant increase from the workforce size in 2018 when Google decided to end its contract with the U.S. defense department. The company’s success and financial stability have not shielded it from internal dissent over controversial business deals and ethical concerns raised by its employees. The firing of 28 workers in response to protests over the Project Nimbus contract reflects the ongoing tensions within Google’s workforce over the company’s involvement in supplying technology to governments. As the investigation into the protests continues, the fallout from this incident could have broader implications for Google’s internal culture and business practices.
