These aren't engineering decisions but marketing ones. The role of an engineer is to engineer a solution, not make business decisions. The decision to turn telemetry on by default was not taken by an engineer, so engineers at intel shouldn't feel ashamed of anything at first place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law
No need to say that how easy it is to brush off that kind of argumentation for the fallacy it is.
In this case, it was a relevant comparison. Court cases involving former concentration camp staff have established that "I just work here" is not a particularly strong defense. If your work enables harmful actions, and if you are aware of it, you may be found responsible for the consequences. Even if you don't participate directly in it. Even if you could face adverse consequences (including death) for refusing to do your job. And even if someone else would likely just take your place.
No it wasn't a relevant comparison, no genocide is happening because someone turned on telemetry by default, this is completely unhinged.
If you're so outraged by all this then you should give these engineers alternative opportunities of work that don't involve telemetry. Can you do that?
These workers CHOSE to work for FAANG. Nobody puts a gun to your head and makes you choose the $300k a year FAANG job over the $200k a year non-FAANG job. Hell, even IN FAANG, Netflix isn't really doing anything unethical. Sometimes taking the high road means less personal profit.
Intel isn't a FAANG to begin with, second, I'm asking you again, are you creating alternative opportunities for the people who would refuse to do their jobs because it goes against your sense of morals? What are these opportunities of work you've built for these people? Answer that question. If you can't answer that, then who are you to judge? Not everybody can afford your grandstanding.
And this lack of accountability is exactly why our world is the way it is. Just remember anyone can justify evil behavior if they try hard enough. Why? because people are not basically good by nature. They are basically evil by nature. Observe any 2-3 year old throwing a fit and you might begin to grasp the concept.
There is no "lack of accountability" anywhere in that story. Nothing done here was illegal, nor "evil" which is an unnecessary hyperbole.
No argument, resorts to personal attacks.
Yes, they should, because it's those engineers that are implementing the decision. It doesn't matter even a little whether or not they were one of the decisionmakers.
The engineers implementing things like this should be deeply ashamed.