This article has been updated after Sony posted on Twitter that it is delaying the announcement of the new PlayStation 5 games and console details due to the unrest.
Protests have broken out across the United States and various other parts of the world over the death of George Floyd, a Black American citizen from Minneapolis who was murdered in police custody.
The protests against police brutality upon people of colour have been continuing even post the arrest of the police officer who has been booked with the murder of Floyd.
Seeing anguish amongst the people, global tech companies from around the world have sounded off showing their support against racism towards the Black community, violence in the US, and the death of George Floyd.
Initially, Facebook hadn’t issued any statement or reacted to what was happening but a series of tweets by the company’s employees prompted a response from company CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
We stand with the Black community – and all those working towards justice in honour of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many others whose names will not be forgotten.Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook
“To help in this fight, I know Facebook needs to do more to support equality and safety for the Black community through our platforms," he added.
The social network was embroiled in a controversy recently after it failed to take down a statement by US President Donald Trump that was interpreted as a threat and potential incitement to violence against citizens.
Twitter had taken the statement down saying it was violating the company policy.
Sony
Sony PlayStation has also announced that it will delay its 4 June event due to the unrest that’s currently happening in the US.
The company was reportedly scheduled to showcase gameplay footage from the new PS5 console and also some details on the specifications.
Sony says that it does not feel it’s the right time to celebrate and wants to stand back and “allow more important voices to be heard.”
Google and Alphabet CEO, Sundar Pichai, also posted his reactions on Twitter and said that the company offers its “support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community.”
The Google homepage displayed the black ribbon with a statement reading “We stand in support of racial equality, and those who search for it.”
YouTube also echoed a similar reaction and said it will be pledging $1M in support of the efforts to address social injustice.
Amazon & Microsoft
Also, Microsoft post remarks from the company CEO Satya Nadella on LinkedIn and even the company’s former CEO Steve Ballmer took to Twitter to show his support.
“We need to recognize that we are better, smarter and stronger when we consider the voices, the actions of all communities, and you have my assurance that Microsoft will continue to advocate to have all those voices heard and respected.”Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft
“Have empathy for those who are scared and uncertain, and join me and everyone on the senior leadership team, in advocating for change in our company, in our communities, and in society at large.”, he said in his statement.
Other Biggies
Twitter has also come out in support of the fight against racism. As an aggregator, the company helps a lot of people carry their messages around the world which is why it is important that it offers support in these testing times.
TikTok which is the largest short-video making app right now and has over a billion users around the world has also expressed its take on the current situation.
Apple CEO Tim Cook also spoke out about the issue and said that the situation in “Minneapolis is grieving for a reason.”
The outpouring of solidarity continues to pour in amid the protests in the US. Follow updates from The Quint for the latest on the protests in the US.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)