Google Briefly Removes PragerU App From Play Store for ‘Hate Speech’

Dennis Prager, founder of PragerU and conservative radio talk show host and writer, speaks at the Values Voter Summit in Washington on Oct. 11, 2019. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

PragerU received notice on June 7 that its mobile application was suspended and removed from the Google Play store for alleged violations of the company’s hate speech policy.

Google notified the educational nonprofit that its app was indefinitely removed for “content asserting that a protected group is inhuman, inferior, or worthy of being hated,” a screenshot of the communication shared via social media shows. But later that day, the app was available again.

A Google spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the app was suspended overnight but was reinstated upon further review.

Google’s hate speech policy states that the company doesn’t allow apps that “promote violence, or incite hatred against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization.”

According to PragerU, the objectionable content that Google cited was the platform’s new documentary, “Dear Infidels: A Warning to America,” which features firsthand accounts from individuals who fled oppression from extreme Islamic regimes. The trailer for the short documentary has generated 42 million views on X.

“According to Google, sharing the stories of a former Palestinian refugee, an Arab Muslim born in Israel, and brave U.S. Navy SEALs who witnessed the horrors of Muslim extremism constitutes ‘hate speech.’ This is a blatant attempt to silence truth and censor speech,” PragerU wrote on a fundraising page launched after the app was removed.

PragerU, founded by talk show host Dennis Prager, promotes conservative values via educational videos. As news spread of the nonprofit’s de-platforming, prominent conservatives took to social media to decry what they believed to be a politically motivated attack.

Prior to the reinstatement of the app, PragerU Chief Marketing Officer Craig Strazzeri said he was unsurprised by the move.

“Google continues to demonstrate how powerful and dangerous they are by censoring ideas they don’t agree with,” Mr. Strazzeri told The Epoch Times in a statement.

“This is truly a David vs. Goliath battle. I think they expect us to just give up and not fight, but little do they know, we at PragerU refuse to be silenced. When it comes to fighting for the values and freedoms that have made this country great, we will never stop.”

Past Challenges

The latest incident isn’t the first disagreement between the tech giant and PragerU. PragerU previously sued Google—and its subsidiary YouTube—for restricting more than 200 of the media platform’s videos.

The lawsuits against Google were ultimately unsuccessful, primarily because of the liability protections that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 affords to online service providers.

Section 230 was initially meant to protect such providers from the legal risks posed by content that others publish on their platforms. However, in recent years, criticism of the law has emerged because it allegedly serves as a shield for social media and tech companies accused of discriminating against certain users and censoring their content.

The sweeping provision has its defenders and detractors. Those who support Section 230 say it protects private companies’ rights to disassociate themselves from content they don’t endorse. Opponents say it allows other users’ free speech rights to be trampled in what has essentially become the public square.

One bipartisan group of members of Congress has expressed support for revising the law. Their proposal, which is currently working its way through the House, would “sunset,” or nullify, Section 230 on Dec. 31, 2025.

Mark Tapscott contributed to this report.