Human rights groups want clarification from Google about search app for China

In an open letter, fourteen human rights organizations speak out against Google’s Project Dragonfly. Under that name, Google is said to be working on a search app for the Chinese market. The organizations want a clear position from the search giant.

In the open letter, the fourteen organizations say they are concerned about Google’s alleged search application, known under the project name Dragonfly. At the beginning of August, information came out via whistleblowers about a search application for the Chinese market, in which Google would apply censorship.

According to the open letter, it is difficult for Google to provide a search app in China, due to the human rights violations in the country. If Google returns to the Chinese market, there is a high risk that the company will contribute to or be complicit in human rights abuses, the organizations say.

In addition, the organizations are extra concerned because it is a smartphone app, which may provide access to sensitive data. According to the leaked information, Google would offer a search engine via an app that is in line with Chinese rules. In addition, Google would filter searches that are not favorable to the government.

The open letter emphasizes that Google writes in its own code of conduct that it wants to promote the freedom of expression of users worldwide. Launching a search app in China is not in line with that code of conduct. The organizations also criticize the fact that Google refuses to comment on the plans substantively. According to the organizations, this is contrary to the transparency that Google itself strives for.

Google was active in the Chinese market until 2010, but then left the country because it refused to censor the Chinese search site. At the time, human rights organizations were full of praise for Google’s decision not to cooperate. The organizations now want to hear if Google has taken a different stance and if it has, the company needs to be clear about it. The organizations also want Google to ensure that whistleblowers will be protected.

Amnesty International had a meeting with Google in August, in which the search giant said it could not answer questions about Project Dragonfly, because stories about it are based on leaked information. Google’s official position, which has also been sent to media outlets, is that it is not commenting on speculation about future plans.

The letter was signed by 14 organizations, including Amnesty International, the Center for Democracy and Technology, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Internally, Google CEO Sundar Pichai would have told employees during a meeting that the company will not release a search engine in China for the time being. Officially nothing is known about that meeting, which is said to have resulted from a letter signed by 1400 Google employees. In it, they expressed their concern and demanded clarification about the alleged plans.