New Delhi, January 10 – In the wake of devastating terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo, technology companies are pledging their support to the Paris-based magazine. In solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack, Google is showing a black band with phrase “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) on its home page in France.
To help the magazine deal with the attack and come out with its next issue, the company is also donating Euro 250000 (nearly $300000) through Digital Press Fund in France.
Apple, meanwhile, is showing a black banner under its homepage in France with “Je suis Charlie” written on it. The phrase — Je suis Charlie — has become a rallying cry for people condemning the terrorist attack on the magazine.
The attack, allegedly carried out by terrorists in retaliation to several cartoons published in the magazine, led to killing of 11 journalists, including the editor of Charlie Hebdo, and one cop. The terrorists remained at large and the French security forces were trying to catch them.
Twitter on Thursday said that “Je suis Charlie” had been used in 3.5 million tweets so far. Instagram, a photo-sharing service also said that it saw thousands of people sharing posts in solidarity with the victims of the Paris attack.
A crowdfunding project to aid Charlie Hebdo has also been initiated on a website called www.leetchi.com. So far it has collected over 80,000 Euros. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, meanwhile, took to his Facebook page to condemn the attack.
“As I reflect on yesterday’s attack and my own experience with extremism, this is what we all need to reject — a group of extremists trying to silence the voices and opinions of everyone else around the world… I won’t let that happen on Facebook. I’m committed to building a service where you can speak freely without fear of violence,” he wrote.
-INDIA TODAY
