Google has taken down a Chrome extension that targeted prominent Jews in media and politics
A Chrome extension called “Coincidence Detector” was available on Google Web Store and singled out Jewish people online by putting three sets of parentheses around their names. The extension worked by compiling the list of names by asking people for suggestions and adds it to a master database.
The extension then starts to place parentheses around the said name on any website the user visits. The use of triple parentheses dates back at least a year. Anti-Semites and white supremacists have been using it as a symbol of their movement online.
Taking a note of wrong standing racism issues with the Coincidence Detector extension, Google has finally removed the same from its Chrome store at 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday. A Google spokeswoman told CNNMoney that the Coincidence Detector extension violated the company’s hate speech policy, which doesn’t allow “content advocating against groups of people based on their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity.”
Before the Chrome plug-in was taken offline, it had been downloaded more than 2,400 times by users. Google has also removed cached files of the website making it completely on Google search.
There are plenty of extensions that attempt to block online bullying or poke fun at racism and Donald Trump — such as Reword, Clarifier and Your Racist Uncle.
Google charges a one-time $5 fee for a developer’s first app.
