Lavoratori di Google e Amazon protestano contro i contratti con Israele mentre la guerra a Gaza continua

Protests Against Google and Amazon’s Cloud Services Contract with Israel

Recent protests have arisen in various tech hubs, including Seattle, where Google and Amazon workers, along with pro-Palestinian activists, voiced their opposition to the tech giants’ involvement in a cloud services contract with the Israeli government.

Concerns Over Project Nimbus

The $1.2 billion Project Nimbus, in which Google and Amazon are key players, has been a focal point of the protests.
This project, established three years ago, offers cloud services and data centers to the Israeli government, sparking discontent among protesters, particularly intensified by the current conflict in Gaza.

Tariq Ra’ouf, a protest organizer and tech worker at Apple, emphasized the desire to terminate the project to prevent AI and machine learning funds from supporting government initiatives involved in what protesters describe as a genocide against civilians.

Protests Across Tech Locations

The protests extended beyond Seattle, with demonstrations occurring in California, where protesters engaged in a sit-in at the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian.
In New York City, Google employees protested within one of the company’s buildings, while outdoor gatherings took place in San Francisco, all orchestrated by the group No Tech for Apartheid.

Concerns Over Military Use of Technology

An article from Time highlighted evidence indicating that the Nimbus contract specifically aids military activities, with Google Cloud offering services to the Israeli Ministry of Defense for data storage, processing, and AI accessibility.
Protesters fear the potential application of AI technology in supporting military actions, such as drone operations and bombing.

Call for Ethical Use of AI

Protesters emphasized the importance of ethically deploying AI and machine learning technologies, especially in contexts involving conflicts and warfare.
The demonstration in Seattle featured signs and chants denouncing the collaboration between tech companies and Israel, lasting approximately two hours.

Prior to the Seattle protest, demonstrators obstructed an expressway leading to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for three hours, leading to the arrest of 46 individuals.
These actions were part of a series of nationwide protests against the tech giants’ involvement in the Nimbus project.