Tech for Palestine
Tech for Palestine (T4P) is a coordinated effort involving technologists, digital rights organizations, and advocacy groups who engage with issues related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through technology. Activities under this effort include internal organizing by employees in technology companies, public campaigns, and support for Palestinian access to digital tools and infrastructure.[1][2] Tech for Palestine was founded in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the ongoing Gaza war.[1] Tech for Palestine has been documented[failed verification] engaging in "canvassing" and other behavior in violation of the Wikipedia website's terms of service as well as policies and guidelines. The group has been criticized for "... erasing key facts about Hamas and reframing the narrative around Israel [on Wikipedia]"[3][4][undue weight? – discuss] BackgroundTech for Palestine was founded by Paul Biggar, a co-founder of the tech company CircleCI,[5] three months following the October 7 attacks.[6][7] It began following a December 2023 blog post by Biggar titled “I Can't Sleep,” reflecting his view that tech-industry voices, though often socially progressive, were not favorable to Gaza.[8][9] Biggar was dismissed from the board of his company following the blog post.[9] According to a Twitter/X post from the group about itself, it emphasizes using technology to "disrupt conventional narratives, capture systems of power, and accelerate pro‑Palestinian organizing and public awareness".[10][11] ActivitiesBoycottech website and databaseTech for Palestine launched web tools including GitHub badges and site banners calling for a ceasefire and maintains a database of Israeli companies and venture capital firms. One of their projects include "Boycottech", which is a website that calls for boycotts of Israeli tech companies.[12][13] The T4P incubatorThe T4P Incubator provides volunteer time, mentorship, marketing support, and ecosystem connections to over 20 advocacy-focused tech initiatives. Some initiatives include ethics.vc, findaprotest.info, Apricot (a job platform for Palestinians), and Pal‑Chat (an AI chatbot giving historical and legal context).[14][15] CollaborationT4P acts as an organizational hub, connecting project leaders with volunteers via platforms like Discord and GitHub.[16][17] Wikipedia editing campaignIn 2025, The Jerusalem Post, citing a report by Pirate Wires, alleged that Tech for Palestine had been engaging in "canvassing" and other behavior in violation of the Wikipedia website's terms of service, which it said was aimed at "... erasing key facts about Hamas and reframing the narrative around Israel."[3][4] References
|
||||||||||
