Remove Suicide Site From Search: Blumenthal to Google, Microsoft

Google and Microsoft should remove a website that encourages suicide from search engines, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote the companies Monday (see 2112200073). The companies have “not only the ability but also the legal authority” to remove the site from search results under the Good Samaritan provision of Communications Decency Act Section 230, Blumenthal wrote. Microsoft declined comment Tuesday. A Google spokesperson said the platform’s features promote suicide prevention hotlines for users searching for information about suicide. Google has “specialized ranking systems designed to prioritize the highest quality results available for self-harm queries,” and Google blocks such autocomplete predictions, the company said: “We balance these safeguards with our commitment to give people open access to information. We’re guided by local law when it comes to the important and complex questions of what information people should be able to find online.”