Amazon, Google and Apple under pressure to remove NRA streaming channel

SAN FRANCISCO – Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku are under pressure to end streaming of the National Rifle Association's NRAtv following the Parkland, Fla. school shooting that killed 17.

Hollywood celebrities include "Law & Order: SVU" executive producer Warren Leight and actors Misha Collins, Evan Handler, Amy Hargreaves, Alyssa Milano, Tara Strong and Ally Walker on Thursday began pushing Amazon to stop streaming NRAtv, the NRA’s public relations channel, through Amazon Fire.

Amazon Fire is one of the most popular devices that allow people to watch Internet-streaming broadcasts through their television sets. Other video streaming products, including Google’s Chromecast, Apple TV, and Roku, were also under pressure to remove NRAtv from their services.

NRAtv features 36 channels which covering topics such as politics, hunting and gun collecting. Some of the most popular are talk show-like formats.

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A story on Wednesday in the New York Times highlighted the ways in which it has become a forum for extremely strident pro-gun messages. Over the past several days the site has features commentators saying the media loves gun massacres because they offer a ratings boost and pushing for teachers to be armed.

A petition launched on Friday calling for Amazon to end its relationship with NRAtv quickly gathered over 35,000 signatures by Saturday. One of the petition’s launchers was Daniel Reed, the father of a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student who survived the shooting.

“If NRA members want to watch NRAtv, they can find it without Amazon's promotion,” the petition on Change.org said.

On Twitter, the hashtag #BoycottNRA and #StopNRAmazon began trending on Thursday.

Roku said Friday it was deeply saddened by the recent tragedy that occurred in Florida, but that users were free to choose and control which channels they download or watch.

"Our content policies prohibit the publication of content that is unlawful, incites illegal activities or violates third-party rights, among other things. If we determine that a channel violates these policies, it will be removed," said spokeswoman Tricia Mifsud.

Amazon, Apple and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Beginning Thursday, multiple companies have severed relationships with the NRA, which advocates tirelessly for gun rights and access. They include Enterprise Holdings, which runs the Enterprise, Alamo, and National rental car brands, Hertz, First National Bank of Omaha, MetLife, Cybersecurity firm Symantec, Norton anti-virus software, SimpliSafe.