The problem, as I stated in another comment, is that these people don't really understand what their job is and that's causing this confusion. Their job is to

The problem, as I stated in another comment, is that these people don't really understand what their job is and that's causing this confusion. Their job is to build a bulwark for the company to guard it against negative press, and that will allow Google to create an AI that leverages all its data and currently existing infrastructure to increase shareholder value. They actually think their job is to prevent bad things from happening. Its not, and that's where the confusion is occurring. That confusion is turning into frustration, which in turn becomes anger. You'll probably say something like, "Well that's a cynical viewpoint..." Any company's "Ethics" committee/board is there to do that. Just like Human Resources is there to protect the company from you, not you from the company. The only problem is that entirely too many Googlers think they're actually employed to make the world a better place. They're employed to create shareholder value. Sometimes making the world a better place will align with increasing shareholder value. Sometimes it won't.