this inspiring labor resistance coming from Google's own ranks is giving the Pentagon pause in its ongoing negotiations with Google leadership. worker power works! if you or someone you know works at Google, consider getting involved: www.notechforapartheid.com @notechforapartheid.bsky.social

DeepMind and Research employees, including Chief Scientist Jeff Dean (responding to grassroots pressure from employees), recently signed an amicus brief in support of Anthropic's case against their designation of a supply-chain risk by the Pentagon.

the www.googlers-against-ice.com petition recently cleared 1,500 Google worker signatories in under two months. the signatories are demanding transparency about Google's contracts with ICE and essential worker protections. catch a handful of us at SF #nokings tomorrow.

I started organizing with my co-workers in @notechforapartheid.bsky.social and am still a volunteer external member to this day. here's what's been going on recently: 🧵

once I fully reckoned with how my labor was being used, there was no turning back. it became impossible to spend any more time caring about a promotion or my next research paper when my bosses were leasing Gemini to criminal militaries.

at DeepMind, my research was upstream of Gemini's fact-finding capabilities -- the same capabilities being used to supercharge target acquisition for Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, the Pentagon's bombings in Iran, Venezuela, and the Caribbean, and ICE's illegal raids throughout the U.S.

this month, I was on the cover of TIME alongside 8 other professionals who are using their knowledge and positions to resist the disastrous impacts of "AI" tech. I was glad to represent the Google chapter of @notechforapartheid.bsky.social as one of the few x-workers still involved in the campaign.

Tonight at 6:30PM (virtual) w/ @notechforapartheid.bsky.social and @claudiajonesschool.bsky.social Surveillance has long been used to monitor, criminalize, and control our communities. Join us for a teach-in on how these systems operate and how we can protect ourselves. Join: bit.ly/BLOCKISHOTDC

💥BREAKING💥St. Louis service workers won’t let the bosses drown out our voices 🗣️ #MOworkers, @sbworkersunited.org members, and community allies are gathering for the Food Service Workers’ Town Hall because we’re serious about demanding a real voice on the job — and across the whole industry!

Remember, ICE wouldn't be able to terrorize civilians without the cooperation of Big Tech. A new @wired.com investigation breaks down just how much it relies on computing power from companies like Amazon.

Caroline Haskins@carolinehaskins.bsky.social · 5mo ago

NEW: Since Jan 2023, ICE + CBP together have spent at least $515 million on products from Palantir, Microsoft, Amazon, & Google. But where is the money actually going, & what specifically is it powering? Here, I break down everything we know about both of these things: www.wired.com/story/how-bi...

Yesterday, our #GooglersAgainstICE petition opposing Google’s partnerships with DHS/ICE/CBP hit 1,400 signatures. This powerful & growing response from Google workers represents widespread anger with leadership’s collusion with ICE’s horrific detention-deportation machine.

We represent groups of workers from Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Our organizations typically focus on a range of issues, from better workplace protections to the pursuit of environmental justice and the demilitarization of our technology. This is our first statement together.

We represent groups of workers from Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Our organizations typically focus on a range of issues, from better workplace protections to the pursuit of environmental justice and the demilitarization of our technology. This is our first statement together.

Anyways we knew this was coming. "Don't use AI for weapons systems" is a principle I care a lot about and I think it's more important every day

There have been a lot of significant moments like this that get a bit of press but kinda fly under the radar given how important they are to the future of humanity

Google removes pledge to not use AI for weapons, surveillance

The company updated its 'Responsible AI' principles, which no longer includes a pledge to not use AI for weapons or surveillance.

cnbc.com

There are a LOT of other causes out there more worthy of your help right now. But if you are a tech worker or otherwise interested in trying to protect workers' right to organize, we would be grateful for your donation or a reshare. Litigation is expensive.

Support the Fired 50 Google Workers' Legal Defense Fund

Dear Friends, Family, Coworkers, and Supporters,

chuffed.org

Tech workers like those at @notechforapartheid.bsky.social have been warning about going down this path for quite a while now

Bill Kristol@billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 5mo ago

"It’s insane that “how much killing will we let the killer robots do on their own” is being hashed out as back-room handshakes between the military and its AI contractors. This seems like a matter of public policy if ever there was one. Have we got a legislature?" open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...

Truly eye-popping AI lobbying states from @publiccitizen.bsky.social's latest report. A quarter of all lobbyists worked on behalf of AI last year, and the number of data center lobbyists is up over 650% since 2020.

Well this story blew up. Went to the front page of reddit, hacker news, Gizmodo. People donated thousands of dollars to the legal fund of Jeff Sovern, who dismantled 13 Flock surveillance cameras. The response was near-universal enthusiasm for the project of smashing invasive, exploitative tech.

Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Across the US, people fed up with Flock cameras surveilling their communities, and with local governments that are often unwilling to listen to concerns over privacy violations and ICE data sharing practices, are taking matters into their own hands—and tearing them down.

so inspired by my former co-workers and current co-organizers for leading the charge against Google Cloud for hosting data and AI for CBP and ICE theintercept.com/2025/04/03/g...

Google Is Helping the Trump Administration Deploy AI Along the Mexican Border

Google is part of a Customs and Border Protection plan to use machine learning for surveillance, documents reviewed by The Intercept reveal.

theintercept.com

No Tech For Apartheid@notechforapartheid.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Yesterday, our #GooglersAgainstICE petition opposing Google’s partnerships with DHS/ICE/CBP hit 1,400 signatures. This powerful & growing response from Google workers represents widespread anger with leadership’s collusion with ICE’s horrific detention-deportation machine.

Yesterday, our #GooglersAgainstICE petition opposing Google’s partnerships with DHS/ICE/CBP hit 1,400 signatures. This powerful & growing response from Google workers represents widespread anger with leadership’s collusion with ICE’s horrific detention-deportation machine.

"Amazon tech helped deport my neighbours." On Cyber Monday in New York, Amazon warehouse workers with Amazon Labor Union and tech workers with No Tech For Apartheid protested Amazon's complicity in Israel's genocide and ICE's deportations. #MakeAmazonPay

Thank you to No Tech for Apartheid for holding this work down

More Than 800 Google Workers Urge Company to Cancel Any Contracts With ICE and CBP

The campaign is among the largest anti-ICE protests by workers at a single company since federal agents shot and killed two people in Minneapolis last month.

wired.com

I'm featured in TIME's new cover story "People vs AI", speaking about my experience working on Gemini during Google's backslide into AI hype and militarism. A few thoughts 🧵 time.com/7377579/ai-d...

Thanks to organizing from groups like @notechforapartheid.bsky.social and @gcvoters.bsky.social, more people recognize that unregulated AI -- and the data centers that power it -- aren't likely to benefit regular people. time.com/7377579/ai-d...

The People vs. AI

Across red states and blue, a grassroots movement is pushing back on the unchecked growth of the artificial intelligence industry.

time.com

Thank you @andrewrchow.bsky.social for this beautifully-written piece. It was a privilege to get the opportunity to elevate the incredible labor movement growing at Google, led by the workers in @notechforapartheid.bsky.social. (If you're a Googler and want to know more, my DMs are open!)

John Palowitch@johnpalowitch.bsky.social · 6mo ago

I'm featured in TIME's new cover story "People vs AI", speaking about my experience working on Gemini during Google's backslide into AI hype and militarism. A few thoughts 🧵 time.com/7377579/ai-d...

100+ more Google employees have signed since yesterday

Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 6mo ago

At Google, speech critical of ICE is censored from the company's internal platform, employees who speak out are served with warnings, and leadership refuses to acknowledge a petition that's now gotten 1,200 employee signatures. Inside the worker-led push to get ICE out of Google:

Google employees who oppose their labor and comp being wrapped up in DHS contracts, sign googlers-against-ice.com and get organized with your co-workers!

No Tech For Apartheid@notechforapartheid.bsky.social · 6mo ago

TY @bcmerchant.bsky.social for speaking to us about our #GooglersAgainstICE petition—now at 1200+ names! We refuse for our labor to power ICE—that's why we're growing our base of Google workers committed to antimilitarism & organized for the fights ahead. www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/google-is-...

You have to admit, "don't be evil" to "we refuse to discuss our ICE contracts" is a hell of an arc

Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 6mo ago

At Google, speech critical of ICE is censored from the company's internal platform, employees who speak out are served with warnings, and leadership refuses to acknowledge a petition that's now gotten 1,200 employee signatures. Inside the worker-led push to get ICE out of Google:

Alex, the Googlers Against ICE organizer, ended with a message to his colleagues in the industry: “You’re not alone. You have support of your fellow workers in your company and across the industry. It’s time we take responsibility for how our products are used for surveillance and violence.”