January 31, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Internet giant Google has long faced accusations of bias against conservatives, and an upcoming book cites documents confirming that it takes action against right-wing content in direct response to complaints from left-wing activists.
Daily Caller senior investigative reporter Peter Hasson is the author of the The Manipulators: Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Big Tech's War on Conservatives, which will be released next week. This week, The Federalist published an excerpt from the book, focusing on emails Hasson obtained that shed further light on how Google makes such decisions.
One email exchange starts with a reporter from The Guardian writing to a Google public-relations representative about several YouTube videos that the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) had flagged as objectionable, including one “satirizing sex differences.” Hasson writes that Google’s spokeswoman reacted with “snap decisions” in “direct response to media inquiries,” in order to demonetize the videos.
“That’s not how the process is supposed to work — and it is certainly not how Google says the process works,” Hasson argues. “Public relations representatives are supposed to explain the censorship process, not dictate it to please liberal reporters. The exchange also highlights how left-wing interest groups with an egregious track record of dishonesty (like the SPLC) partner with liberal reporters to pressure big tech to censor right-of-center voices.”
He goes on to note that there’s a profound double standard at play, as Google simultaneously promotes left-wing messages via its Creators for Change program, which supports left-wing personalities on YouTube.
Some of the beneficiaries include Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, who has claimed the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States were an “inside job”; anti-Israel activist Subhi Taha; and open-borders activist Yasmany Del Real.
Conservatives have long been wary of YouTube due to recurring cases of apparent left-wing discrimination by the video giant and its parent company Google. YouTube has deleted investigation footage from pro-life group Live Action, censored discussion of transgenderism and mental illness, restricted educational videos from conservative pundit Dennis Prager on false “mature content” pretenses, and more.
“Maybe you agree with those messages; maybe you don’t. That’s not the point,” Hasson argues. “These are the kind of videos you might expect from a left-wing advocacy group or media outlet. They are not the kind of videos that a politically neutral company produces.”