REVEALED: Google employees discussed ‘leveraging’ search engine to promote pro-immigration sites after Trump’s travel ban
The emails were sent on January 29, 2017, two days after Trump signed the first order
Employees discussed promoting ACLU’s website to help counter the ‘islamophobic, algorhithmically biased results’ coming up
They described it as ‘super timely and imperative’ information
One wrote: ‘This country and Google would not exist without immigration’
There were several in favor but a public affairs executive asked whether pro-Trump sites would receive the same promotion
The suggestions were never put in place and Google says it was just a ‘brainstorming’ session
By JENNIFER SMITH
DAILYMAIL.COM
21 September 2018
Google employees discussed leveraging their influence over the internet to promote pro-immigration websites after President Trump imposed his controversial travel ban last January, it has been revealed.
In an email chain obtained by The Wall Street Journal, the staff members – who were not named – talked about the ‘importance’ of promoting the websites, such as the ACLU, so that internet users could donate to them.
Their plan did not go into effect after warnings from executives that it was a ‘highly political’ issue which they should not be seen getting in the middle of.
The emails were written on January 29, two days after Trump implemented his ban on travel to the US from seven Middle Eastern and African countries.
They said: ‘I know this would require a full on sprint to make happen, but I think this is the sort of super timely and imperative information that we need as we know that this country and Google, would not exist without immigration.’
One Google employee said they believed the search results afterward Trump’s ban generated ‘islamophobic, algorithmically biased results from search terms Islam, Muslim, Iran’. etc.’
They considered going to similar lengths for ‘Mexico, Hispanic, Latino’, etc.
They suggested an ‘overall idea’ which was to ‘leverage search to highlight important organizations to donate to, current news, etc. to keep people abreast of how they can help as well as the resources available for immigrations [sic] or people traveling.’
They suggested using Highlights – an experimental feature Google has tested which allows certain sites or people to post updates that appear directly in search results.
The Rest…HERE
