{"id":396930,"date":"2019-02-23T11:54:03","date_gmt":"2019-02-23T10:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/microsoft-staff-protest-over-pentagon-contract-for-augmented-reality-tech-designed-to-kill-people-rt-usa-news\/"},"modified":"2019-02-23T11:54:03","modified_gmt":"2019-02-23T10:54:03","slug":"microsoft-staff-protest-over-pentagon-contract-for-augmented-reality-tech-designed-to-kill-people-rt-usa-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/microsoft-staff-protest-over-pentagon-contract-for-augmented-reality-tech-designed-to-kill-people-rt-usa-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft staff protest over Pentagon contract for augmented reality tech \u2018designed to kill people\u2019 \u2014 RT USA News"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Dozens of Microsoft employees have demanded the company pull out of a contract with the US military to provide augmented reality technology, stating that they refuse to be complicit in \u201cwarfare and oppression.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Microsoft workers released a letter on Friday addressed to CEO Satya Nadella and President Brad Smith, in which they voiced opposition to the $479 million contract that aims to equip the US Army with up to 100,000 augmented reality headsets to be used in combat and for training. The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) will be based on a preexisting Microsoft technology called HoloLens. Released in March 2016, HoloLens is capable of interposing digital images on whatever its wearer sees.<\/p>\n

Signed by more than 50 employees, the letter states that the IVAS contract marks the first time that Microsoft has \u201ccrossed the line into weapons development.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n

On behalf of workers at Microsoft, we’re releasing an open letter to Brad Smith and Satya Nadella, demanding for the cancelation of the IVAS contract with a call for stricter ethical guidelines.
If you’re a Microsoft employee you can sign at: https:\/\/t.co\/958AhvIHO5<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/uUZ5P4FJ7X<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Microsoft Workers 4 Good (@MsWorkers4) February 22, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe application of HoloLens within the IVAS system is designed to help people kill,\u201d<\/em> they wrote. \u201cIt will be deployed on the battlefield, and works by turning warfare into a simulated \u2018video game,\u2019 further distancing soldiers from the grim stakes of war and the reality of bloodshed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The employees said that they \u201cdid not sign up to develop weapons,\u201d<\/em> and demanded more control over \u201chow our work is used.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Microsoft acknowledged the petition \u2013 but insisted that the company has always been transparent and open to feedback from its workers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always appreciate feedback from employees and provide many avenues for their voices to be heard,\u201d<\/em> a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement responding to the petition. \u201cIn fact, we heard from many employees throughout the fall. As we said then, we\u2019re committed to providing our technology to the US Department of Defense, which includes the US Army under this contract.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The statement promised that Microsoft, as an \u201cactive corporate citizen,\u201d<\/em> would remain engaged in \u201cthe important ethical and public policy issues\u201d<\/em> surrounding artificial intelligence and the military.<\/p>\n


\n
\n
\n Also on rt.com<\/span>
\n Microsoft vows to hand over all its technologies to \u2018ethical & honorable\u2019 US military <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Workers at America\u2019s tech giants have increasingly spoken out against their companies\u2019 business dealings with intelligence agencies and the Pentagon. Firms such as Apple, Google and Amazon have all faced scrutiny from employees and the public alike for their shady dealings with the US government.<\/p>\n

In June, Google backed out of a contract with the Pentagon after facing internal dissent from angry workers. The tech giant had been enlisted to provide the US military with an advanced AI that would improve the targeting capabilities of weaponized drones.<\/p>\n

Microsoft, however, seems to be sticking to its Pentagon-friendly guns. In December, the company\u2019s president said that Microsoft would \u201cprovide the US military with access to the best technology… all the technology we create. Full stop.\u201d<\/em> He added that he wanted \u201cSilicon Valley to know just how ethical and honorable a tradition the military has.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Like this story? Share it with a friend!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n