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Viber joins in against Trump's immigration ban

Messaging service Viber is the latest tech company to join in the fight against Trump's travel ba...
Newstalk
Newstalk

16.02 30 Jan 2017


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Viber joins in against Trump&a...

Viber joins in against Trump's immigration ban

Newstalk
Newstalk

16.02 30 Jan 2017


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Messaging service Viber is the latest tech company to join in the fight against Trump's travel ban as they offer free calls between the United States and the seven countries affected by the ban. 

The company has updated its service to offer free calls to any landline or mobile number between the US and Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

Viber said it acted so that "those affected will now have one less barrier to cross when trying to reach their loved ones."

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It follows similar moves by other American tech companies who are donating both money and free services in an attempt to help people who have been affected by the ban.

Airbnb is providing free housing to anyone affected by the travel ban. The company's offer applies to refugees or anyone else who is denied the ability to travel to the US and is not in their city or country of residence.

"Not allowing countries or refugees into America is not right, and we must stand with those who are affected," said CEO Brian Chesky.

Search giant Google has created a $4 million crisis fund that benefits the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Immigrant Legal Resource Center, International Rescue Committee and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The fund will be made up of employee donations and cash from the company.

Car sharing service Lyft has said it will donate $1 million to the ACLU over the next four years to help "defend our constitution."

 

The ACLU, who were successful yesterday in temporarily blocking part of the travel ban, has received over $24m in online donations over the weekend, about six times what the activist group would collect in online donations in a normal year.

 


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