Groups urge 50 ‘big data’ firms not to enable ‘Muslim registry’

ASSOCIATED PRESS

OAKLAND, California – Sixteen public interest groups sent a letter Monday to nearly 50 “Big Data” companies, asking those companies to pledge to “not allow our data, or services, to be purchased or otherwise used in ways that could lead to violations of the human rights of Muslims or immigrants in the United States.”

The public interest groups acted in response to the current administration’s refusal to rule out the possibility of a “Muslim registry” and its moves to accelerate deportations of potentially millions of undocumented immigrants.

“Many tech companies collect vast amounts of personal data on all of us and make a profit by reselling that information,” said Greenlining Institute Telecommunications Legal Fellow Vinhcent Le. The institute is among the signatories of the letter.

“Today we’re asking these companies and their data brokers to make absolutely clear that they will not let anyone not use this mass of data to persecute people because of their religion, nationality or immigration status,” Le added.

The groups noted that a registry profiling people based on religion would violate the right to nondiscrimination and could lead to further human rights abuses.

In addition, since about three-quarters of U.S. Muslims identify as people of color, any “Muslim ban” would disproportionately affect communities of color. Registries of Muslims or unauthorized immigrants would likely be used to facilitate arbitrary detention and deportation, splitting up families and again violating fundamental human rights.

“Silicon Valley companies often talk about human rights and how technology can empower people and promote freedom,” said Greenlining Institute President Orson Aguilar. “Today we’re asking the tech and Big Data worlds to make sure their actions match their words.”