Google Is Censoring Reviews of ICE Detention Centers
13 hours ago
- Google Maps receives thousands of reviews for ICE detention facilities, often detailing harsh experiences.
- Google purges these reviews and blocks new ones, citing policies against reviews for places people go without choice.
- Research indicates Google actively suppresses carceral information and narratives related to ICE facilities.
- Only four ICE facilities still permit reviews on Google Maps, with many previously collected reviews now deleted.
- Google's actions lack public notice, and the company denies coordination with DHS or ICE on review removals.
- Reviews describe poor conditions, language barriers, and extended detentions, highlighting systemic issues.
- Google frames censorship as consumer-centric, but critics argue it's a political decision affecting carceral information.
- The article shifts to discuss Trump's authoritarian takeover, including ignoring court orders and targeting press freedom.
- Corporate media cowers, while right-wing billionaires reshape media, threatening democracy and journalism.
- The Intercept appeals for support to expand reporting capacity in 2026, emphasizing independence from corporate interests.