Non-profit Tech Organization Turns Blind-Eye on Gaza

When the October 7 war broke last year, Code for Science and Society (CS&S) alongside another tech nonprofit organizations were confronted with the controversy after the war Gaza erupted, and with it came moral questions on technology’s involvement in international conflicts and wars.

CS&S is a case in light of the increasing conflict slowly emerging within the technological industry, between values and moral responsibilities, on applicable issues of our current event in Middle East.

Newer technologies are in a position not just to help but while doing so, it’s inflicting harm, leading to rise in death, thus compelling organizations to constantly struggle with valuable decisions that are sometimes in conflict with their reign of power.

That in itself is a broader question on whether nonprofit tech support companies should maintain political neutrality or take a ‘stand of honor’ on issues like the use of militarized, surveillance technology, birthing waves of international law breaches with a complete disregard to human rights.

Technology and State Violence

Following the attacks by Hamas against Israel and the military actions by Israel in Gaza last October 2023, Miliaku Nwabueze, a senior program manager at CS&S, demonstrated worries about the role technology is playing or can play in state violence.

She called on the organization’s such as Slack channel, for CS&S to issue a statement in support of a ceasefire in Gaza because militarized technologies, like artificial intelligence and facial recognition, have been used in wars and conflicts worldwide, from Gaza to Lebanon to Sudan and Ukraine.

Her proposal sparked backlash in tech nonprofits organization’s diversity groups, with staff majority being in favor of drafting the statement, but the board and executive director, Danielle Robinson, were against it, on the grounds of “fiduciary responsibility” and the impact on CS&S’s projects.

The statement, which pointed out the use of AI in targeting and surveillance, was completely vetoed.

The end result was resignations, firings, and accusations of censorship of a list of tech nonprofits. Nwabueze and others felt that CS&S had a responsibility to take a stand against the use of technology in state violence, as part of its mission to influence data and tech in service of social causes.

Robinson continued to insist that the organization shouldn’t take open political positions, emphasizing its identity as a financial sponsor, not an activist organization.

Questions Raised as Tech Power Mushrooms

The conflict at tech nonprofits CS&S is a greater ethical concern about technology in modern warfare and surveillance. Consider Gaza, for example, Israel has used AI enabled systems for facial recognition, drone targeting, and population control in a manner that, critics described as “the most tech-advanced genocide in history,” – the focus here is tech-advanced genocide. Such tools contribute to accurate and targeted military operations while manipulating users perception with advanced surveillance.

The use of liberation and repression is another ethical challenge with technology as companies have provided platforms that allow people to use their voice in support of human rights but have also allowed for data manipulation and surveillance.

The AI ethicist Timnit Gebru, a former CS&S board member, resigned in protest over the organization’s handling of the statement, saying, “What’s the point of trying to create something different, if your existence is predicated on being silent about genocide and apartheid?”.

Final Thoughts

The case of CS&S serves as a warning for the nonprofit for tech industry, a warning which corporates and organizations face ethical requirements in assuming responsibility for the place of technology in wars.

While its true that technological advances allow for communication and activism easier, at the same time, it provides more opportunities for abuse, which raises concerns and questions about the limits of ethical responsibility whether on social media platforms or through the tech that is being used.

The CS&S challenges reflect the greater challenges for tech nonprofits organizations at the connection of technology, ethics, and geopolitics. These dilemmas will only grow more complex in a world where technology has an extraordinary power to influence public opinion and countries.

Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Tech sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.