Google Must Stop Promoting Climate Denialism

Target: Google CEO Sundar Pichai

Goal: Stop the promotion of anti-science advertisements on Google.

Widespread misinformation about climate science is no accident. The number one reason that people in the U.S.A remain skeptical about human-caused climate change is because of the billions of dollars spent on funding denialism. Just ten digital publishers produce the majority of online climate change denial, and even though Google has pledged to stop, it is still running ads for all of them.

It is completely unacceptable that Google is promoting and profiting from such harmful disinformation. We are at a climate tipping point. For decades, scientists have been warning lawmakers that the Earth is reaching a point of no return–where feedback loops will cause warming that is functionally unlivable, spiraling humanity into a fight for survival. Dystopian depictions of mega-storms, water scarcity, and the loss of large swaths of farmland represent a real, potential future unless we act against climate change right now.

One of the biggest blockades to active climate policy is climate denialism, which has misinformed millions of Americans and allowed legislators to continue to profit off of the oil and gas industry while claiming to be “skeptics.” In order to fight against climate change, the majority of Americans must believe that climate change is real and understand the existential dangers it poses all of us. The denialist movement must be shut down in order to move forward on long-overdue climate policy.

Google is failing to make good on its commitment to the public and to the truth of man-made climate change. They have an ethical obligation to stop promoting anti-science lies on behalf of the fossil fuel industries. Sign now to make sure Google enforces its pledge to stop running ads that promote climate denialism!

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mr. Pichai,

We are at a climate tipping point. The world is changing, and as scientists have been warning lawmakers for decades now, we are reaching a point of no return. It is time, now, to fight against the rapidly changing climate, and one of the biggest obstacles in the way of effective policy is climate denialism and widespread misinformation. This has stopped many Americans from understanding the existential dangers inherent in climate change and allowed legislators to continue to profit off of the fossil fuel industry while disguising themselves as skeptics.

U.S. citizens remain skeptical towards climate change because of the billions of dollars spent on funding denialism. Just ten digital publishers produce the vast majority of online climate change misinformation, and Google runs ads for all of them. Google is currently promoting and profiting from this harmful disinformation, and it is time that you stop. You have already pledged to stop running ads for these climate denialists, and stop promoting anti-science lies, and yet you have not.

You have a commitment to the public that you are failing to meet. It may seem that you can do what you want but you are a public company.

You have an ethical obligation, Mr. Pichai. Please, stop contributing to the fossil fuel industry’s lies.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Caelie Frampton


3 Comments

  1. Owning any business means the owner is responsible and accountable. Insurance is taken out to help in case of injury on the job. Insurance needs to also be taken out to help with the waste and harm this type of business. Google needs to help, not harm, those people paying for their services. Disinformation needs to be seen as the crime it is and punished severely for the harm it does. People are ignorant of the uses big tech companies employ and believe it’s the truth. It’s not. Monopolies in this country are not supposed to be present but these companies run rampant with their use of lies, fear, and civil unrest. They need to answer for their errors. They are monopolies and that is against good government.

  2. Evan Jane Kriss says:

    This is why I no longer use Google as my search engine. Corporate responsibility is important and not unrecognized by users.

  3. Andi Duferense says:

    Have you bowed down before the here and powerful Oz? No, I’m not referring to the fictional wizard from Dorothy’s magical land. I’m talking about mass-marketed medical guru and Oprah protégé, Dr. Oz. And while he may be powerful, the scientific community is not convinced that his recommendations are all that great.

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