Google exec claims controversial Dragonfly search engine is 'terminated'

Dragonfly, it seems, is officially dead. Probably. 

The controversial Chinese search engine previously in development by Google that raised privacy, censorship, and human rights concerns is finally, officially, no more — at least according to Karan Bhatia, Google's vice president of global government affairs and public policy.

In a July 16 congressional hearing, Bhatia assured Senator Josh Hawley that the project is over. 

"Is [Project Dragonfly] active right now?" asked Hawley. 

"It's not, Senator," replied Bhatia. "We have terminated that." 

This unequivocal response is a departure from previous couched statements by Google executives regarding Dragonfly's status. For example, in December, chief executive Sundar Pichai told Congress that "right now there are no plans for us to launch a search product in China."  Read more...