Auschwitz game available on Google service causes outrage
Mon, 20 Jun 2016
Colette Avital, the head of the Center of Holocaust Survivor Organizations in Israel and a member of the Executive of the World Jewish Congress-Israel, expressed indignation and outrage over a program available on Google Play which invited users to "live like a real Jew in Auschwitz."
"We cannot understand how the top management of Google approved such a cynical game, turning the martyrdom of six million Jews into an object for amusement and enjoyment," Avital said in a statement.
On Monday, the app was removed by its developers, a school for vocational training based in Zaragoza, Spain.
The Italian newspaper 'La Repubblica' first reported about the app, which had thousands of downloads before being removed.
Many users had left anti-Semitic messages in the comment fields underneath the app. One user expressed his enjoyment at playing the game and said the only problem was "that every 20 minutes I find the full oven and I have come to remove ash."
In recent weeks, Google was repeatedly criticized for its sluggish reaction to content posted on its sites in which the Holocaust is glorified or belittled. The World Jewish Congress called on the internet giant to remove repulsive neo-Nazi songs from its video platform YouTube.
Google Play is the official app store for the Android operating system, the most widely used smartphone operating system world-wide.
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“Zionism is an ideology, not a political position or policy No one should ever have to apologize for thinking the Jewish people have a right to a Jewish state.”
Donna Smelko
Tue, 21 Jun 2016Shame on Google. This is not a game. It decenticizes kids to the ugly/murderous part of history.
sherry nelson
Tue, 21 Jun 2016this is not a game many died here its is as low as you can go never agian .god forgive you
Annette L. Stone
Mon, 20 Jun 2016Utterly disgusting!
Jerry Holtz
Mon, 20 Jun 2016It would seem that pressure ought to be bought to bear on Gooble with a write in campaign. Is this happening?
Peter Kubicek
Mon, 20 Jun 2016Just look up Steven Anderson on YouTube. He revels in his anti-Semitic and Holocaust-denying views and no organization has succeeded in taking his post down.
How about it, WJC ? Is their now way you can put pressure on You-Tube?
Swifteagle
Mon, 20 Jun 2016Whoever invented this game must be a very sick person or an active Neo Nazi