Public Letter to Google Inc., Its Leadership, Supervisors, and Engineers
SUBJECT: Accountability and Ethical Responsibility in Light of Employee Misuse of User Data
TO:
Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google
Google Supervisors and Management
Google Engineering Staff and Administration
Dear Google Leadership and Team,
I am writing to express grave concern and disappointment regarding the revelations from 2018 that some Google employees misused their privileged access to internal systems, listening to and reviewing private user audio recordings collected through devices such as Google Home and Google TV. While these actions did not lead to criminal charges, the breach of trust and violation of user privacy cannot be understated, and they expose deeper issues of ethics and responsibility within your organization.
As an information scientist with decades of experience, I hold a firm conviction that those entrusted with sensitive information must uphold the highest standards of integrity. The public and users worldwide place their confidence in Google not only because of your technical innovation but also because of the implicit promise to respect and protect their privacy.
The idea that private moments recorded inadvertently or otherwise in people’s homes—sometimes even intimate spaces such as bedrooms—were listened to or reviewed internally “for amusement” or without explicit user consent is deplorable. Such behavior is not only an egregious ethical violation but may also contravene Canadian laws including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and provisions of the Criminal Code governing unauthorized access and voyeurism.
Google’s internal handling of this matter, which reportedly involved reprimanding or terminating employees, while necessary, must be seen as only a starting point. It is insufficient to quietly manage these violations behind closed doors. This is a matter of public trust and societal importance: when the most advanced information science professionals misuse their privileged access, the repercussions extend beyond individual misconduct to shake the foundation of digital trust in our society.
Beyond the incident itself, I urge Google to consider the broader implications:
Transparency: Users deserve full disclosure about the scope of such privacy breaches and clear communication on the measures taken to prevent recurrence.
Accountability: Employees who breach ethical boundaries must face consequences commensurate with the gravity of their actions. Supervisors and leadership must also be held accountable if negligence or tacit approval contributed to the misconduct.
Ethical Culture: Google must foster a culture that does not tolerate privacy violations even when “fun” or “hilarious” in the eyes of those involved, particularly when entrusted with the most sensitive personal data imaginable.
Technological Caution: Given the rise of powerful surveillance and AI technologies, companies like Google have a responsibility to prioritize the protection of freedom and privacy above expedience or corporate interests.
In my philosophical view, and as history reminds us, society stands at a critical crossroads. We must choose between enabling a future of free, secure lives and succumbing to a dystopia where privacy is sacrificed for security, surveillance is normalized, and trust erodes. “Those who give up liberty for security deserve neither.” This principle must guide the stewardship of all information technologies.
Google once stood as a beacon of innovation and integrity, a dream employer and a symbol of progress. Incidents like these threaten that legacy. It is time for Google to renew its commitment to the public it serves—not only through technology but through genuine respect for the human dignity of every user.
I call on Google’s leadership, supervisors, and engineers to reflect deeply on this responsibility and to act decisively to restore trust, uphold privacy, and set the highest standard in the information sciences profession.
Sincerely,
STEPHAN THEO UNRAU
INFORMATION SCIENTIST
CANADA