Greater Portland NOW

National Organization for Women

Advocating for Women & Girls

Donate Join NOW

  • About
  • Issues
    • NOW Priority Issues
  • Get Involved
    • Join
    • Donate
  • News
  • Events
  • Endorsements
    • 2018 Endorsements
    • 2017 Endorsements
    • 2016 Endorsements

August 10, 2017 by NOW National

Google Puts Corporate Interests Over Women’s Safety

Statement of NOW President Toni Van Pelt

Google has once again turned heads this week, because of its sexist and misogynistic treatment of employees. But let’s not forget that Google’s mistreatment of women extends far beyond its Mountain View, Calif. headquarters. Their lobbyists are working hard to protect laws that encourage online sex trafficking–and the exploitation of girls and women.

Backpage.com is a key player in online sex trafficking–providing a hub where traffickers can advertise children for sex. That’s despicable. Yet third-party facilitators of sex trafficking like Backpage.com remain protected under the law, specifically Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA).

Backpage.com has been dodging legal challenges to their illicit conduct, and Google has swooped to their defense. Areport by Consumer Watchdog indicates that Google has contributed millions of dollars to the defense of Backpage. All of this legal work hinges on the protection of Section 230 of the CDA–which supports Google’s corporate interests. Now Google is sending their lobbyists to Capitol Hill, to persuade lawmakers to stay away from this precious piece of the law.

Shame on Google: it’s clear they’ve chosen again and again to put corporate priorities before the safety of girls and women. Their endorsement of Section 230 of the CDA says that they are more than happy to condone child sex trafficking if it furthers their goals. If they’re not resisting injustice, they’re committing it.

Well, NOW’s grassroots activists are ready to resist. Congress needs to amend this dangerous law that allows online sexual exploitation to go unchecked. So we’ll be marching into our representatives’ offices with a simple demand: don’t listen to Google. Change Section 230 of the CDA to make sure that it protects women–not corporations.

Contact

M.E. Ficarra, press@now.org, 951-547-1241

About NOW National

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Get Greater Portland NOW Updates

Sign up here to receive updates from Greater Portland NOW!

Subscribe

Take Action

Attend an Event

Become a Greater Portland NOW Member

Learn More

Oregon NOW

Greater Portland NOW is the state chapter of the National Organization for Women. We work on behalf of NOW members in the Greater Portland area to achieve equality for all women and girls and to amplify the work of justice-seeking organizations.

Learn more about us.

Contact

Mailing Address
Greater Portland NOW
PO Box 951
Clackamas, OR 97015

E-Mail
greaterportlandnow@gmail.com

Social

  • Facebook

Handcrafted with by Mapped Digital. NOW Chapter Websites Reinvented.