Blumenthal Calls on Google & Microsoft Bing to Remove Website Encouraging Suicide From Search Results
A New York Times investigation found the website, which gets 6 million page views each month, is linked to dozens—and potentially hundreds—of suicides , Google & Microsoft Bing have been urged to steer people away from the dangerous website, but refused to act—despite legal authority under “Good Samaritan” provision of Section 230
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Following an extensive New York Times investigation into a disturbing website that encourages suicide, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, called on Google and Microsoft’s Bing search engines to remove the website from search results. The New York Times revealed that the popular website provides explicit instructions and exerts social pressure encouraging its members to commit suicide and has been linked to at least 45—and potentially hundreds—of suicides, primarily by those under 30 years old.
“We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, particularly among young people,” wrote Blumenthal in a letter to Google. A similar letter was sent to Microsoft Bing. “By providing instructions and social pressure, the site is helping to fuel this crisis and is directly culpable for the deaths of many young people.”
The New York Times reported that the companies have been asked to steer people away from the website, but that they refused and deflected. “Google has been warned and begged to intervene. But when grieving families and government officials asked Google to steer visitors away from the website, the company dodged responsibility,” Blumenthal continued. “[W]hen Australian officials asked Google to remove the website from search results, Google refused, saying it would not act absent a legal requirement to do so.”
Blumenthal emphasized that Google and Microsoft Bing have “not only the ability but also the legal authority” to act to remove the site from search results in line with the companies’ responsibility under the “Good Samaritan” provision of Section 230. “Congress made clear its intent for companies like Google to act as Good Samaritan managers of their platforms, not to shield it from its obligations to protect vulnerable communities,” Blumenthal wrote.
The full text of the letter to Google is available here and below. The full text of the letter to Microsoft Bing is available here.
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