It might be a 20% project. Also, there is a process to clarify / obtain the copyright: https://opensource.google.com/docs/iarc/
I thought 20% time has been gone for years.
Ouch, I had no idea. Is this true of all of FAANG? :/
For that reason I sincerely hope that those unofficial projects go to another dedicated org (say, `google-unofficial`). It is so much confusing.
I had this question all the time. I agree, they should do something like google20p, which would have the side effect of advertising the fact that 20 percent still exists.
Unlikely. Google (like many companies) assert ownership of everything their employees create, even on their free time. There are plenty of projects under Google organization that have no other affiliation with Google.