Dear John,
Last year, YouTube, and its parent company, Google, released an anti-racism statement in response to the racial justice uprisings sparked by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. They proudly declared their support for Black people. The statements felt sincere, inspirational even, as YouTube and Google espoused hopeful statements about “coming together with the Black community” and taking actions that met “the urgency of the moment.”1 They then pledged millions of dollars to support Black creators through fellowship programs and funds expressly dedicated to the development and amplification of Black voices.2 But instead of supporting the Black community, Google blocked companies from using racial justice terms like “Black Lives Matter” to place advertisements on related video content.3 They said Black Lives Matter when it was trendy, then implemented policies that block financial sustainability for Black creators and the creators who cover the movement.
This discrimination is unacceptable.GOOGLE MUST CONDUCT A RACIAL EQUITY AUDIT!
At the same time that Google prevented advertisers from choosing ads based on Black Lives Matter content, they actively allowed advertisers to search and place their content on tens of millions of videos tagged with white nationalist terms like “White Power” or “White Lives Matter.”4 This pattern is not just unacceptable, it’s evil. When advertisers cannot use search terms associated with Black Lives Matter, they are prevented from finding Black creators and the fans who support them, which diminishes the Black creators’ income and cuts into their own business’ profits. In turn, small Black businesses are prevented from growing wealth within the Black community and building financial stability for our families.
Blocking racial justice terms like “Black Lives Matter” and Black Power” while simultaneously allowing search terms like “White Lives Matter” and “White Power” shows us that Google doesn’t actually care about Black lives; they care about upholding white supremacy.
However, problems like this can begin to change by conducting an independent, racial equity audit. Such an investigation will provide Google with specific areas where it must eliminate discrimination in its products and workplaces. Right now, for instance, Black Googlers face a hostile work environment. Black Googlers bear the burden of educating their colleagues, and may even face retaliation for flagging discriminatory products, features, or policies. Black Googlers frequently resign as a result, searching instead for employers who recognize their humanity. Google must conduct a racial equity audit in order to truly begin to combat the racism and discrimination proliferating at its companies.
It’s time for Google to stop spouting ideas about racial justice and make real change. Join us in calling on Google to go #BeyondTheStatement and make tangible commitments that benefit Black people.
SIGN THE PETITION!TELL GOOGLE TO CONDUCT A RACIAL EQUITY AUDIT.
Until justice is real,
—Jade Magnus Ogunnaike and the Color Of Change team
References:
- “Standing with the Black community,” Sundair Pichai, Blog.Google.com, June 3, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300671?t=9&akid=50643%2E4731121%2EETKu90
- “Susan Wojcicki: My mid-year update to the YouTube community,” Susan Wojcicki, Blog.YouTube.com, June 11, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300672?t=11&akid=50643%2E4731121%2EETKu90
- “Google Blocks Advertisers from Targeting Black Lives Matter YouTube Videos,” Leon Yin & Aaron Sankin, The Markup, April 9, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300673?t=13&akid=50643%2E4731121%2EETKu90
- Ibid
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
