Censure google

2019

Google censorship

I deeply disagree with the systems that quietly imprison us and strip us of our freedom. Google perfectly embodies this phenomenon, operating in the shadows without arousing suspicion. Since 2013, I have been working to create works that even the most sophisticated algorithms cannot categorize, works that are enigmatic and elusive. In 2019, Google carried out a real digital purge against me, eradicating my work from their search engine. Overnight, I was erased from the web. Nothing. Nothingness. All I received was a terse email from Google stating: “We have made the decision to remove you from our Google search network for the following reason: You are posting meaningless content.” The most distressing thing is that despite my attempts to sound the alarm to media like Le Canard Enchaîné or Le Monde, there has been no reaction, no awareness of the dangers these algorithms represent.

Arsen Eca

Eca, always finding a unique approach to express his creativity, faced a form of censorship by Google, having his work withdrawn on the grounds that it was deemed “meaningless”. Contesting this assertion and the constraints of digital censorship, Eca developed an ingenious response: he composed a letter in binary code, the fundamental language of computers.
By sending this binary-encoded message to a specific email address, essentially a backdoor access point, he subtly inserted his work directly into Google’s belly. This action can be considered a form of digital graffiti, or a symbolic act of digital “hacktivism”, bypassing traditional channels of digital expression and interfacing directly with the infrastructure of the Web.
This approach aligns with his practice of “systemic subversion”, manipulating existing systems to create new meanings and experiences. By using binary code, Eca not only addresses the materiality of the digital world, but also challenges the notion of what constitutes “meaningful” content in a field where algorithms often dictate visibility and relevance.
The act of sending the binary message can be seen as a commentary on censorship, digital rights, and the power dynamics inherent in controlling online platforms. It illustrates Eca’s consistent engagement with broader sociopolitical themes, embodying his resistance to the limits of algorithmic determinism.