COMPANIES, NOT BEING PERSONS, HAVE NO SOUL:

According to The New York Times, "The project, known internally as Dragonfly, was developed largely in secret, prompting outrage among employees who worried they had been unwittingly working on technology that would help China withhold information from its citizens."

According to Human Rights Watch, an international research and advocacy group, "China's extensive censorship regime restricts a wide range of peaceful expression that officials deem politically sensitive, including criticism of government policy and information that does not conform to official narratives."

The organization warned Big Tech, specifically Google, against complicity in the repression.

The Intercept first reported that Dragonfly gained speed after a meeting this past December between a top Chinese government official and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. "The app has already been demonstrated to the Chinese government; the finalized version could be launched in the next six to nine months, pending approval from Chinese officials."

A letter signed by 1,400 Google employees said, "We urgently need more transparency, a seat at the table, and a commitment to clear and open processes: Google employees need to know what we're building." It also called for employees to be included in a review of the ethics of Google products.

In an internal meeting that followed, executives claimed they weren't close to returning to China. But based on the information above, this should be taken with shakers full of salt.

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