In conjunction with the opening ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games later today, Google has updated its Google Doodle to reflect its stance on Russia’s recently-passed anti-gay law. Presenting a rainbow-themed homage to the Winter Olympics, the search engine’s homepage also states the Olympic Charter, promoting equality and indiscrimination to all.
Google isn’t the only ones openly leveraging on this year’s Winter Olympics in Russia to highlight the country’s controversial law, which imposes hefty fines and even jail terms for citizens who circulate information to minors “directed at forming nontraditional sexual setup” or which may cause a “distorted understanding” that gay and heterosexual relations are “socially equivalent”. Other notable protests include US carrier AT&T, while the Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion released a video on YouTube which went viral. Several Olympians have also pledged to protest against the law.
The protests aren’t the only thing giving bad press to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Besides rumours of unfinished hotels and creepy video surveillance in athletes’ hotels, the Swiss team also alleged that athletes were given a Galaxy Note 3 each – with one condition: they are to be banned from using any other smartphone; the IOC has since denied that there was such a ban imposed on athletes.
