The “Tech Is Not Neutral” campaign wants tech companies to protect communities of color
For Immediate Release: July 2, 2020
Contact: press@kairosfellows.org
Today Kairos, The Movement for Black Lives, BYP100, Media Justice, 18 Million Rising, and MPower Change released a joint letter urging Amazon, Nextdoor, Microsoft, and Google to take action for Black lives now. The open letter to Silicon Valley calls on CEOs and founders to do more than simply make statements supporting Black Lives Matter. The letter also reinforces demands that Microsoft and Google workers have made of their companies to cut contracts with police.
Since the recent police shootings of Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and George Floyd, these tech companies have all made statements in support of Black lives. Simultaneously, they have continued their partnerships with police all over the country, and they build platforms that encourage communities to surveil, racially profile, and report each other to law enforcement.
“When we say tech is not neutral, we mean that technology is being used as a force for violence and injustice,” said Jelani Drew, Campaign Manager at Kairos, “If companies don’t hold clear anti-racist values and adopt anti-racist policies, then the tech they create will perpetuate systemic inequities and harmful ideologies like anti-Blackness. We’re seeing this play out in real time with the relationship between police and Amazon, Nextdoor, Microsoft, and Google, where these tech companies have essentially become extensions of law enforcement in critical areas. It’s not enough to make statements on Black Lives Matter. Tech companies must act on their words and cut ties with police.”
The letter reaffirms the understanding that technology is not neutral. And that CEOs and founders are responsible for ensuring that their tech innovations are governed with values that protect vulnerable communities—not enable more harm by police departments.
You can view the letter here: techisnotneutral.com
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