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Google has finally admitted that a "Dragonfly Project" is actually in preparation.
But that's just about all that a Google executive was willing to disclose on Wednesday about the plan under the code name, which would be largely a research product that the company is developing for China – a company that should comply with government censorship.
The supposed existence of the Chinese search engine has been evoked repeatedly during a hearing of a Senate committee in Washington, DC, where several senior leaders in the technology and telecommunications sector testified about the existence of the Chinese search engine. a potential federal law to regulate the confidentiality of data.
The prospect of a Google search engine approved by Google has become a major problem. Reports began appearing last month that Google was working on a product that would block sensitive websites and search terms in accordance with Chinese censorship.
The New York Times later reported that more than a thousand Google employees questioned the plan. This criticism is ongoing – The Times reported Wednesday morning that a former Google researcher had launched the Chinese research product in a letter to lawmakers this week.
However, Google had declined to comment until Wednesday, when Google (GOOG) The Director of Privacy, Keith Enright, has joined the leaders of AT & T (T), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Twitter (tWTR) and Communication Charter (CHTR) at the Senate hearing (AT & T owns CNN.). The purpose of the hearing was that leaders describe what they want from any new US regulatory proposal – they have largely opposed any law as restrictive as the recent data privacy reforms adopted or adopted by the European Union and California.
But lawmakers set on Enright. They asked him about all kinds of controversies facing Google and the rest of the technology industry, related to privacy or others.
Enright has not linked "Dragonfly" to reports on the development of a Chinese search engine. He only named her when she insisted on the existence of a "Dragonfly Project" by Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican.
"I'm not clear on the outlines of what's in range or out of reach for this project," added Enright.
When Cruz asked Enright for more information, the privacy officer would only repeat what CEO Sundar Pichai had already said about the product.
"I need to be clear that we are about to launch a research product in China," said Enright. "And if we could possibly or still would not."
Although Google has received a lot of attention during Wednesday 's hearing, the other companies have not escaped the entire review. Legislators have asked leaders about how they use consumer data and how they define what is private and what is not.
The concept of a federal law governing data privacy has become increasingly important for lawmakers, especially in recent months.
The European Union made waves earlier this year when its general data protection regulation came into force. These rules have forced companies operating in this region to revise their data privacy policies.
In June, California passed the strictest data privacy law in the United States. When this law comes into force in 2020, consumers will have the right to know which companies like Facebook and Google collect, why these companies collect them and with whom they share them. Consumers will also be able to prevent technology companies from selling their data.
Len Cali, vice president of global public policy at AT & T, Wednesday quoted a "crowd of burdens" related to the GDPR.
"Maybe if it existed in the companies at this table, we would not be here, none of them would be there," he said.
Other leaders have moved in the same direction, adding that the law passed should not be too burdensome to harm innovation, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises. Many also wanted a law that prevents state laws, like the one California just passed.
Consumer groups opposed the sector's objections to the GDPR and California law. In a letter to the Senate Committee on the Hearing, the American Civil Liberties Union called for the adoption of legislation to install safeguards for consumers.
"Last year, we found countless data breaches, sharing sensitive data without consent, and companies misled consumers about their data practices," wrote the news agency. ; ACLU. "It is high time for Congress to correct the imbalance in our laws that failed to protect consumers from industry practices that deprive them of control of their data in the interest of the public. profit. "
Sen. John Thune, chairman of the trade, science and transportation committee and Republican of South Dakota, said Wednesday that lawmakers intended to hold a second hearing next month. He added that a California privacy activist and the GDPR's chief of execution had already agreed to testify.
CNNMoney (New York) First published on September 26, 2018: 3:44 PM ET
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