The Steady Drip: Google Briefly Removes PragerU App From Play Store for ‘Hate Speech’ (Connecting the Dots: Google, YouTube & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Google Briefly Removes PragerU App From Play Store for ‘Hate Speech’ (Connecting the Dots: Google, YouTube & Soros Funding, All Networking)

The tech giant says the removal was done in error.

The Epoch Times

By Samantha Flom 6/9/2024 Updated: 6/10/2024

Dennis Prager, founder of PragerU and conservative radio talk show host and writer, speaks at the Values Voter Summit in Washington on Oct. 11, 2019. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

https://www.theepochtimes.com/business/google-briefly-removes-prageru-app-from-play-store-for-hate-speech-5664787

PragerU received notice on June 7 that its mobile application was suspended and removed from the Google Play store for alleged violations of the company’s hate speech policy.

Google notified the educational nonprofit that its app was indefinitely removed for “content asserting that a protected group is inhuman, inferior, or worthy of being hated,” a screenshot of the communication shared via social media shows. But later that day, the app was available again.

A Google spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the app was suspended overnight but was reinstated upon further review.

Google’s hate speech policy states that the company doesn’t allow apps that “promote violence, or incite hatred against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization.”

According to PragerU, the objectionable content that Google cited was the platform’s new documentary, “Dear Infidels: A Warning to America,” which features firsthand accounts from individuals who fled oppression from extreme Islamic regimes. The trailer for the short documentary has generated 42 million views on X.

“According to Google, sharing the stories of a former Palestinian refugee, an Arab Muslim born in Israel, and brave U.S. Navy SEALs who witnessed the horrors of Muslim extremism constitutes ‘hate speech.’ This is a blatant attempt to silence truth and censor speech,” PragerU wrote on a fundraising page launched after the app was removed.

PragerU, founded by talk show host Dennis Prager, promotes conservative values via educational videos. As news spread of the nonprofit’s de-platforming, prominent conservatives took to social media to decry what they believed to be a politically motivated attack.

Prior to the reinstatement of the app, PragerU Chief Marketing Officer Craig Strazzeri said he was unsurprised by the move.

“Google continues to demonstrate how powerful and dangerous they are by censoring ideas they don’t agree with,” Mr. Strazzeri told The Epoch Times in a statement.

“This is truly a David vs. Goliath battle. I think they expect us to just give up and not fight, but little do they know, we at PragerU refuse to be silenced. When it comes to fighting for the values and freedoms that have made this country great, we will never stop.”

Past Challenges

The latest incident isn’t the first disagreement between the tech giant and PragerU. PragerU previously sued Google—and its subsidiary YouTube—for restricting more than 200 of the media platform’s videos.

The lawsuits against Google were ultimately unsuccessful, primarily because of the liability protections that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 affords to online service providers.

Section 230 was initially meant to protect such providers from the legal risks posed by content that others publish on their platforms. However, in recent years, criticism of the law has emerged because it allegedly serves as a shield for social media and tech companies accused of discriminating against certain users and censoring their content.

The sweeping provision has its defenders and detractors. Those who support Section 230 say it protects private companies’ rights to disassociate themselves from content they don’t endorse. Opponents say it allows other users’ free speech rights to be trampled in what has essentially become the public square.

One bipartisan group of members of Congress has expressed support for revising the law. Their proposal, which is currently working its way through the House, would “sunset,” or nullify, Section 230 on Dec. 31, 2025.

Mark Tapscott contributed to this report.

Google's Eric Schmidt talks about how to run the world (not that he wants to) (Past Research on Google)

Monday, February 19, 2018

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2018/02/googles-eric-schmidt-talks-about-how-to.html

How did Google become the internet’s censor and master manipulator, blocking access to millions of websites?

By Robert Epstein, Contributor | June 22, 2016, at 9:00 a.m.

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-06-22/google-is-the-worlds-biggest-censor-and-its-power-must-be-regulated

Connecting the Dots:

YouTube is a video service for Google Inc.

Eric E. Schmidt was the CEO for Google, a funder for the New America Foundation and is the chairman of the New America Foundation.

Alan B. Davidson was a senior policy counsel for Google Inc. and is a fellow at the New America Foundation.

Google Inc. was a funder for the New America Foundation.

Jonathan Soros is a director at the New America Foundation, George Soros’s son and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is Jonathan Soros’s father.

L. John Doerr is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a director at Google Inc.

Google Inc. was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Javier Solana is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and was a high representative for common foreign & security policy for the European Union (EU).

European Union (EU) is the executive body for the European Commission.

European Commission fined Google Inc. in 2017 for antitrust.

Paul S. Otellini is a director at Google Inc. and a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Victoria Ransom is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and was a director of product for Google Inc.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Michael Douglas is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a friend of George Soros.

Ted Turner is a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), and the founder of CNN.

Hisashi Owada is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Walter Isaacson was a chairman & CEO for CNN, is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

L. John Doerr is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a director at Google Inc.

Google Inc. was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

European Union (EU) is the executive body for the European Commission.

European Commission fined Google Inc. in 2017 for antitrust.

Susan Molinari is a VP for Google Inc and a director at the Economic Club of Washington.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. was the president of the Economic Club of Washington, is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP was the lobby firm for Google Inc. and is the lobby firm for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Google Inc. was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Sheryl K. Sandberg was a VP for Google Inc. and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

David M. Rubenstein is the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the president of the Economic Club of Washington.

Susan Molinari is a director at the Economic Club of Washington and a VP for Google Inc.

Mark S. Ordan is a director at the Economic Club of Washington and a director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Joseph M. Rigby is a director at the Economic Club of Washington, and a director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Eric A. Spiegel is a director at the Economic Club of Washington and a director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Robert G. Liberatore is a director at the Economic Club of Washington and was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Google Inc. was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Google Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Albert A. Gore Jr. is a senior adviser at Google Inc., an adviser at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and the chairman for the Climate Reality Project.

Stephanie Tilenius was an executive in residence for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and a VP for Google Inc.

Google Inc. acquired the Zagat Survey.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is an investor in the Zagat Survey, Google Inc., and was a donor for The Climate Project.

Russell Siegelman is a partner emeritus for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and was a business manager for Slate.

The Climate Project was a merged organization with the Climate Reality Project.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Climate Reality Project and the New America Foundation.

Atul A. Gawande is a director at the New America Foundation and was a medical columnist for Slate.

Google Inc. was a funder for the New America Foundation.

Eric E. Schmidt was the CEO for Google, a funder for the New America Foundation and is the chairman of the New America Foundation.

Alan B. Davidson was a senior policy counsel for Google Inc. and is a fellow at the New America Foundation.

Google Inc. was a funder for the New America Foundation.

Jonathan Soros is a director at the New America Foundation, George Soros’s son and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is Jonathan Soros’s father.

Sheryl K. Sandberg was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) a VP for Google Inc. and is a director at the ONE Campaign.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and married to John F. Kerry.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Sheryl K. Sandberg was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a VP for Google Inc.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and was the president of the Economic Club of Washington.