Communications of the ACM
Tech Giant Brings Software to a Gun Fight
Salesforce.com has delivered a different message to gun-selling retailers in recent weeks: Stop selling military-style rifles, or stop using our software.
Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
Salesforce.com is pressuring sporting-goods retailers and other customers of its business-management and e-commerce software to stop selling a range of firearms, or be prohibited from using its products.
Some industry proponents criticize this move, calling it "corporate-policy virtue signaling" that is biased against gun owners.
Technology companies' activism also has stoked claims of overreach, with Facebook, Google, and Twitter accused of censorship for cracking down on what they designate as hate speech or dangerous individuals.
The activist actions of technology giants are amplified, because customers rely on their critical software and services.
Consumers, meanwhile, are frequently unaware they are engaging with other companies when they put items in their online shopping cart, or talk to a customer service representative.
From The Washington Post
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Abstracts Copyright © 2019 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA
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