Business is, so long as legal, business. This is not any worse than the personal info they collect on all google product users, but somehow this is more outrageous?
Can you imagine the people working at big co in S Korea, Japan, China, India, Russia, South Africa, etc., taking this kind of personal affront stand? No, don't provide services to your own government, they bad.
Back to realpolitik. These capabilities will be developed by someone. Unilateral retrenchment is ineffective, so if they somehow want to stall the US gov't (because they think google would give the gov't a leg up) all they are doing is giving our competitors in whatever area a nice handicap.
It would have been like the people working on the Manhattan project saying, no, this is unethical, while Germany and Japan would continue the effort unencumbered --leaving the US at a tremendous disadvantage.
Edit: wrong week of watching Russian TV, correct one here:http://www.businessinsider.com/russias-showdown-with-west-wi...
I like the guardian somewhat, but you gotta know who the guardian are.
Not disputing your take --but you and I must know a diff set of people. [Should Russia return Crimea, should they give Japan the Ryukus --some small insignificant islets]
Also, amongst Russians, there are different waves of emigres. Some waves forsook everything upon leaving, those emigres by their nature, have a different view than other waves.
It's pointless to argue about free election outcome without free access to media. In any western country, an investigation alleging president's friends funneling billions of tax money offshore would be in every news issue. Brazil got rid of a president over much much less. How can you call it an election if you can't get any airtime, are convicted in a kangaroo court and your brother is in prison?