Google Project Nimbus contract with Israel sparks human rights concerns
Google's cloud computing and AI contract with the Israeli government, signed in May 2021 for seven years, has triggered internal concerns from legal and policy teams about potential human rights violations. Internal documents reportedly show warnings that Google Cloud services could facilitate violations in the West Bank, contradicting the company's public assurances that the contract complies with standard terms of service.
What happened
Google signed a seven-year contract in May 2021 with the Israeli government to provide cloud computing and AI services to government ministries, including the defense establishment. The joint $1.2 billion contract is split between Google and Amazon.
Internal documents reviewed by The New York Times show that Google's legal and policy teams expressed deep concerns that 'Google Cloud services could be used for, or linked to, the facilitation of human rights violations, including Israeli activity in the West Bank.'
The Intercept reported that contract documents show Project Nimbus does not operate under Google's general terms of service but instead is subject to an 'adjusted' policy drafted between Google and the Israeli government, contradicting Google's public claims.
Reported impact
Employee activism has challenged the project's implementation, with Google firing approximately 50 workers who staged protests at two company offices in April 2024, and eight protesters arrested.
The contract has been a consistent source of protest both inside and outside Google, even before Israel's war on Gaza, due to concerns about the technology's potential military applications.
Index analysis
The contract represents an estimated $525 million in expected revenue for Google's Ministry of Defense work between 2021 and 2028, providing strategic significance for the company's cloud computing division.
Google has repeatedly stated that the Nimbus contract is bound by its general cloud computing terms of service and acceptable use policy, which prohibit uses that violate legal rights, invasive purposes, or activities that cause death, serious harm, or injury.
Governance controls
Google's terms of service prohibit uses that violate or encourage violation of legal rights, any invasive purpose, or anything that can cause death, serious harm, or injury to individuals or groups. However, the actual Project Nimbus contract incorporates adjusted terms that differ in unclear ways from these standard policies.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.