Google has recently faced backlash from users after removing cultural observances and events from its popular Calendar app. Some users saw this as another sign of Google turning against more liberal viewpoints. However, Google clarified that it removed the observances last year for logistical reasons, as it was not sustainable to manually maintain hundreds of moments each year for various countries.
This controversy comes amidst a wider trend of big technology companies appearing to react to conservative complaints of bias in their products and policies. Last week, Google eliminated its diversity goals and stopped offering diversity training programs to comply with President Trump’s executive orders.
Google has been using timeanddate.com to label public holidays and national observances for years, but expanded to include cultural moments worldwide. However, the company found it difficult to keep up with adding more events and countries. Now, the Calendar app only shows observances from timeanddate.com.
Users have criticized Google for removing references to various cultural events, such as Hispanic Heritage Month and Pride Month, while still marking Columbus Day. Some believe this is an attempt to rewrite history or appeal to Mr. Trump.
Despite the backlash, Google has continued to celebrate cultural moments through other products, such as an animation for Black History Month and a curated collection of movies for Lunar New Year. The company remains committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in its own way.
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