Nov 10, 2020
Google locked my account for sharing a historical archive they labelled as "terrorism content"
So, I am the team manager of the Tank Encyclopedia website (http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/). We are a website that covers armored fighting vehicles of all nations and eras.
At some point in the past, we have started a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) conflict archive. Basically, before this, we had worked a lot with the Spanish Civil War (late 1930s), which saw widespread use of improvised armored fighting vehicles, but which are poorly documented.
Seeing the new conflicts occurring in the MENA area, we decided to start a vehicle archive to save for future historians. We basically went through Twitter, Facebook and other places, found images of vehicles being used by any faction in any of the conflicts there (Syria, Lybia, Iraq), saved them and cataloged them.
This did not include graphic imagery, but ISIS flags did crop up from time to time. Also, lots of SVBIED use videos and stuff. We didn't pick any sides, we archived everything from anyone, Syrian government, Iraqi Government, Syrian Rebels, Kurds, ISIS, HTS, everything.
At some point 3 years ago, we stopped this as we didn't have the time anymore and released it to the public:
At some point in the past, we have started a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) conflict archive. Basically, before this, we had worked a lot with the Spanish Civil War (late 1930s), which saw widespread use of improvised armored fighting vehicles, but which are poorly documented.
Seeing the new conflicts occurring in the MENA area, we decided to start a vehicle archive to save for future historians. We basically went through Twitter, Facebook and other places, found images of vehicles being used by any faction in any of the conflicts there (Syria, Lybia, Iraq), saved them and cataloged them.
This did not include graphic imagery, but ISIS flags did crop up from time to time. Also, lots of SVBIED use videos and stuff. We didn't pick any sides, we archived everything from anyone, Syrian government, Iraqi Government, Syrian Rebels, Kurds, ISIS, HTS, everything.
At some point 3 years ago, we stopped this as we didn't have the time anymore and released it to the public:
One of our authors has also recently started working on a mega article on the use of the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 in armed conflicts and used a lot of those images. I can share that if it would help the situation in any way.
Anyway, yesterday, Google decided that I have been "sharing terrorism content" and suspended my personal account that was hosting that archive. This has led to the lockdown and loss of access to most of the Tank Encyclopedia Google Drive folder, which included our whole library, our Youtube narrations, some articles, etc, but also my personal folders (my wedding photos, my document archive) and work folders that are super important for my PhD.
I have tried to appeal, but got an answer saying that they still find my account in breach of Google policy. I could not send them a message to explain the situation or anything. I do not understand that. According to the Google terms of use:
"Don’t use Google services to share content intended to recruit for terrorist organizations, incite violence, glorify terrorist attacks, or otherwise promote acts of terrorism."
"Don’t use Google services to share content intended to recruit for terrorist organizations, incite violence, glorify terrorist attacks, or otherwise promote acts of terrorism."
Which I have not done. This was an honest-to-God amateur history project, we released it publicly and explained what it is. At no point have we tried to do any stuff related to promoting terrorism.
Please help me, is there any way for me to contact them and explain the situation? Is there any way for me to get the rest of my files back from Google?
Please help me, is there any way for me to contact them and explain the situation? Is there any way for me to get the rest of my files back from Google?
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