
Tech Employee's Pledge not to participate in racial or religious profiling - Tomte
http://neveragain.tech/
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ForHackernews
This seems like a really empty, hollow pledge to me because the employers of
these signatories fall into two categories:

1) Companies like Google or Facebook that _already have_ "databases of
identifying information...to target [for advertising] individuals based on
race, religion, or national origin." That data exists. They're not going to
delete it. If legally subpoenaed, they will turn it over.

2) Companies like "Poncho"[0] a cartoon cat that tells you the weather. They
do not have this kind of data, and they never will, so there is zero chance of
these signatories facing a tough decision to keep their pledge.

Maybe I'm too cynical, but I don't think employees of type 1 are going to
actually quit their jobs, or go rogue and delete their employers' data, and I
don't think employees of type 2 are ever going to face any choice.

So how would this pledge ever demand any kind of action from signers? Somebody
help me out here? It feels like the equivalent of tweeting "I really really
don't like Trump".

[0] [http://tryponcho.com/](http://tryponcho.com/)

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rumcajz
Not a bad idea. Some other comments here seem to have missed that this is
mainly about signaling. Most of the signatories won't get a chance to act on
the pledge, but this way they can signal to each other that they are not
alone, make it easier for those with the capability to act to actually act,
provide a list of possible allies in case of need, make it clear to those who
would like to push in the opposite direction that they will have to deal with
resistance etc.

~~~
ForHackernews
I agree 100% that it's about signaling, and that's _why_ I find it kind of
distasteful. It's a cheap and ultimately meaningless substitute for real
activism, and it requires zero sacrifice on the part of these signatories.
Even donating to the ACLU would mean giving up some small amount of money.

(P.S. Google and Facebook employees who've signed, can I expect you'll be
resigning from your positions immediately? Your companies already have big,
government-exploitable databases designed for [ad] targeting citizens based on
race, religion, etc.)

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IcePenguino
I understand that signing it doesn't mean much. I signed. But it's a first
step. Perhaps after that, you'll consider supporting/volunteering for the EFF
or ACLU. It's a small action, but you have to stand for what you believe in.

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sheraz
More virtue signaling and keyboard heroism!

But you really lost me at the less-than-subtle Hitler reference.

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eropple
I signed this, and I didn't sign it either to signal virtue or to be a
keyboard hero. I signed it to have something to _stick to_ if something that
would compromise my morals does arise.

Your cynicism is unfortunate and gross.

~~~
ForHackernews
Can you see my reply elsewhere on this thread? Can you genuinely imagine a
scenario where you be prompted to take action based on this pledge?

~~~
mundo
If you read any of the pieces discussing the late Thomas Schelling's
contribution to game theory, you know that making a pledge to do X if Y occurs
is a perfectly sound strategy to discourage Y from happening.

~~~
ForHackernews
What if Y has already happened?

I submit that large tech companies already have existent today, "databases of
identifying information...to target individuals based on race, religion, or
national origin. "

