Roberto C. Sánchez <robe...@debian.org> wrote on 31/01/2025 at 03:59:10+0100:
> Since we as a project have left Twitter/X (as recently announced by our > Publicity Team) on the basis of "We do not want to be present in a place > where we cannot ensure that users will be respected and where abuse > happens without consequences" [0] [1], I would like start a discussion > about how we as a project can promptly sever ties with Google. > > Currently, the Debian project has a much closer relationship with Google > than we have ever had with Twitter/X. Google is listed on the Debian > Partners Program page [2], which states: > > "Google sponsors parts of Salsa's continuous integration infrastructure > within Google Cloud Platform." > > "Google is one of the largest technology companies in the world, > providing a wide range of Internet-related services and products as > online advertising technologies, search, cloud computing, software, and > hardware." > > Additionally, Google is a DebConf25 sponsor [3]. > > Yet, Google has for a long time closely collaborated with the United > States Government, specifically with the Defense and Intellence arms. > This collaboration is no longer something that our project can continue > to turn a blind toward. Just within the last year Google has increased > this collaboration to the point of becoming a full-fledged and > enthusiastic participant in the US defense industrial complex. > > 2024-04-09: "Google is now authorized to host classified data in the > cloud" [4] > > "We're thrilled to announce another significant milestone for Google > Public Sector: the authorization of Google Distributed Cloud Hosted to > host Top Secret and Secret missions for the U.S. Intelligence Community, > and Top Secret missions for the Department of Defense," Leigh Palmer, > the company’s vice president of delivery and operations said at Google > Cloud Next conference in Las Vegas. "This authorization underscores > Google Public Sector's commitment to empowering government agencies with > secure, cutting-edge technology." > > 2024-04-17: "Google Public Sector ‘hitting our stride’ in government > market, CEO says" [5] > > "Being authorized on secret and top secret for the most stringent > government requirements more than anything demonstrates Google's > commitment to this market. I’m so proud of that. You know, I'm a mission > junkie, former Navy officer, this is what I came to Google for: to be > able to deliver on the promise of Google technology and those missions." > > This goes far beyond the US Defense and Intellence agencies purchasing > the same mass market products which are available to everyone, far > beyond benign public sector services for education and healthcare. > Google is specifically tailoring products and services, in close > collaboration with the US Defense and Intellence agencies, to > specifically increase the capabilities of those agencies. > > Since there are people within the project who will not even travel to > the US because of problematic policies and overreach by the government, > especially by intelligence agencies, it seems highly problematic for us > to continue accepting Google as a sponsor. Especially given the fact > that Google has become a de facto part of the US government, and > especially of its intellegence arm. I feel far more threatened by a > continuing relationship between Debian and Google--knowing that Debian > shares a computing platform and resources with the monsters responsible > for thousands of drone strikes across the world, being responsible for > countless civilian deaths, as well as who knows what other atrocities > both inside the US and across the world--than by our former use of > Twitter/X as a platform for publishing bits of news about the project. > And a continuing relationship between Debian and Google objectively > poses a far greater threat of far greater harm to far more people than > did our former use of Twitter/X. > > I am calling for those responsible for the Debian Partners Program to > immediately discontinue the partner relationship with Google and then > for those responsible for managing the various Google-integrated and > Google-hosted Debian services to being the process of divestiture. Seriously, this is irksome. Just state that you disagree about the Publicity Team Decision instead of doing a ~straw man argument up to the absurd. We're supposed to be grown ups. Maybe act accordingly? -- PEB
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