Bulli Bai App Row: Netizens Want Microsoft To Take Note Of GitHub's 'Dangers'

The digital "auction" of prominent Muslim women from India on a GitHub-based app called "Bulli Bai" has brought attention to the dangers of having an online presence.

Reuters / Unsplash

Using images of the women without their consent, the app's makers wanted to emulate the auction experience - only this time, it was more about endorsing human trafficking of an Indian minority.

The platform used for developing the app is called GitHub and is owned by Microsoft Corporation. GitHub defines itself as a place "where over 73 million developers shape the future of software, together". Founded in 2018, the company provides internet hosting for software development and version control using Git - a software used to track changes in any set of files.

Microsoft

This isn't the first time GitHub was used to create a hateful app. Not too long ago, "Sulli Deals" appeared with the same intention - to auction women belonging to the Muslim community. Bulli Bai is Sulli Deals' disgraceful offspring.

Also read: Deafening Silence: What 'Bulli Bai' And 'Sulli Deals' Tell Us About Big Tech Giants

Naturally, people called on Microsoft and GitHub to acknowledge the issues at hand and to find a way to assess software development aimed at harassing and harming members of the civil society.

Here's what people on Twitter are asking Microsoft to do in the aftermath of Bulli Bai and Sulli Deals.

This user pointed how GitHub is being used to promote hate via apps like Bulli Bai

@Microsoft @github @satyanadella @ashtom Since last year, github is being used by hindu extremists to target Muslim women and 'auction' them off. in 2021, it was 'SulliDeals' and in 2022 its 'Bulli Bai of the Day'.

Your platform is being used to spread misogyny and Islamophobia. https://t.co/xvOz4CPVKy

¡ª dhanak ???? ? (@Oru_Mazhavill) January 1, 2022

This user asked Microsoft what it has been doing to quell hate on GitHub

As @github is owned by @Microsoft
What actions r u taking @satyanadella to ensure no Microsoft platforms are used for #HateSpeech #Harrassment against women of any religion, or background.

Indian apps put Muslim women up for sale!@cjwerleman @FLOTUS @VPhttps://t.co/TUjtClDPyB

¡ª truthwsyf (@truthwsyf) January 3, 2022

Bulli Bai should have triggered a reaction from Microsoft, but the company is still silent

Technology is misused to target Muslim women in India.. Who is behind this dirty hate idealogy of targetting Muslims. @github @Microsoft @satyanadella Plz take serious action to stop these hate on your platforms and I hope you will condemn this acthttps://t.co/hTNqWBd8SL

¡ª Azad (@SocialLense) January 2, 2022

India - a bundle of contradictions

India is living a contradictory dream of APJ Abdul Kalam's Vision 2020 in the form of CEOs of Microsoft, Google, Twitter on one hand CEOs of "sulli app", " bulli bai app" on the other

¡ª Nitin Chavan (@a20nitin) January 4, 2022

This user highlighted how all talks of AI are hollow if we can't even respect humans, as evident in Bulli Bai fiasco

@github @GitHubIndia is owned by @Microsoft @MicrosoftIndia. If these kinds of shameless activities can't be restricted, all talks about #AI #ML are just nonsense.@satyanadella @sundarpichai @elonmusk @paraga https://t.co/VjGNZDdLgK

¡ª Jahangir Alam (@TheJahangirAlam) January 2, 2022

Microsoft

Another user on Twitter asked Microsoft what they intend to do to stop another Bulli Bai from appearing on GitHub

@BillGates Microsoft platform @github being used to auction women in India @bullideals . This is the second time the platform has enabled such an app. How are you going to stop enabling this?https://t.co/DrRLCwzXVk

¡ª moxxiemize (@moxxiemize) January 3, 2022

This user wondered how Microsoft is different from Facebook if it does nothing to protect users

Bulli Bai app was hosted on Github platform which is itself a huge backend infrastructure software that acts as a repository of application code.

¡ª Sarbendu Guha (@GuhaSarbendu) January 5, 2022

Github, acquired by Microsoft for $7.5B in 2018, didn't take any action to block Bully Bai and Sulli Bai apps before the controversy became very big. How is Github / Microsoft different from Facebook ? #DigitalIndia

¡ª Sarbendu Guha (@GuhaSarbendu) January 5, 2022

Bulli Bai ! An app uploaded photographs & other details of Muslim women for their auction ! Delhi police seeks info from Twitter about account that first tweeted about d app ! Also sought info under MLTA from San Francisco based firm GitHub about d user who uploaded this app !

¡ª Prakash (@prakash55670025) January 4, 2022

Microsoft's GitHub says that the app is now offline and that the company will work with Indian authorities to get to the bottom of this. The pertinent question is - how did GitHub enable this disgraceful use of its tools not once, but twice - first with Sulli Deals and now Bulli Bai.

Also read: Bulli Bai App: Indian Authorities Ask Twitter And Github About App's Origin

What do you think - should tech companies like Microsoft take more responsibility than they currently do? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.