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Google Apologizes For "Michelle Obama" Results
theodp writes "CNN reports that for most of the past week, when someone did a Google image search for 'Michelle Obama,' one of the first images that came up was a picture of the First Lady altered to resemble a monkey. After being hit with a firestorm of criticism over the episode, Google first banned the site that posted the photo, saying it could spread malware. Then, when the image appeared on another site, Google displayed the photo in its search results, but displayed an apologetic Google ad above it. On Wednesday morning, the racially offensive image appeared to have been removed from any Google Image searches for 'Michelle Obama.' Google officials could not immediately be reached for comment."
Update — 15:38 GMT by SS: A reader pointed out that this article from the Guardian says the image was de-listed simply because it was removed from the blog where it was hosted rather than by any "deliberate" action from Google.
What makes you so sure that this comparison is racially charged? Why is all criticism (whatever the form) of Obama branded as racism?
Can't we even disrespect our president without being branded as racists?
Of course, Google *does* have a liberal bias.. being that conservatives are so anti-intellectual.
How we know is more important than what we know.
Google did not act when there were images of the prophet in its search results
Sorry, who are you talking about here? Not everyone worships your religion.
Summation 2
Really? When I searched for "Michelle Obama Monkey" on google image search, the pictures I got was of George Bush.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm157/cin2008_album/bush_monkey3.jpg
http://www.globalpov.com/images/bush-monkey.jpg
And a monkey that got to first base:
http://klog.imjustsaying.org:81/files/images/monkey.preview.jpg
Another was of Palin being compared as an Ape
http://i.somethingawful.com/u/garbageday/apepalin.jpg
The only Michelle Obama photo was from a site called celebrity apes (a site which now seems defunct http://www.celebrityape.com/).
This furor over the photos shows a double standard in the media when liberals are concerned.
Why is all criticism (whatever the form) of Obama branded as racism?
Because the Obamas as Gods and ought be revered as such.
.. if that's what it thinks people WANTS to see when searching for Michelle Obama.
Redesign your algorithm please to be more useful.
Only if you are a total moron.
Google is not the government, it is a private company with no legal or moral requirement to link to something that clearly offends some of its customers.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
Apparently you forgot to read the liberal playbook. Anything that shows a conservative (which Bush wasn't by the way) in a bad light is good. Anything that shows a liberal in a bad light is bad. I quit using google over a year ago. You can't blame them "technically" though. Look where they are headquartered...San Fran...the heart of liberal~socialism. Hey, it's their product. If they want to be like that, doesn't bother me...it's a 1st amendment thing with me, but, I also have the choice to search elsewhere. They aren't the only search engine in the world, just the most known/popular.
I'm just saying there is a difference between comparing a white public figure to a monkey, and comparing a black public figure to a monkey.
So, what would be an appropriate way to portray a black politician as a buffoon? (Other than the obvious fact that you called them a politician?)
Your difference only occurs in the motivation of the person who presents the image. Is it right to set aside a group of people as 'protected' from a certain form of speech while allowing that speech to be used against another group of people.
If you suggest that the form of speech is OK against one group of people, it is OK against another. The speech isn't what you should have issue with, it is the motivations of the person who presents the image.
Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
The US cannot consider itself color-blind or non-racist until the same gamut of insults can be levelled at any public figure without fear of censorship or witch-hunting.
What utter crap. The US can consider itself free of racism when there are the same ratio of black politicians as there are black citizens. This also applies to Caucasians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and every other ethnic group that makes up the population. This applies to any country, which shows that the vast majority are racist to a greater or lesser extent. Much of the racism in the world is subconscious though which makes it much harder to deal with.
There is an excellent section on this in the book "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. He tests himself and discovers that he has a slight autonomic preference towards white faces which he finds disturbing as he is partially of afro-Caribbean descent. It is definitely worth reading.
Back on this original topic of censorship of this image it fairly obvious why Google pulled this image: It is the presidents wife. It is no different to the "Miserable Failure" one that went round a few years ago where it linked to President Bush. Pissing off the ruler of your home country is generally a bad idea, especially when your competitors are busy spending large amounts of money lobbying on Capitol Hill that you are engaging in anti-competitive and privacy abusing practices.
I dont read
Sure, it's all anecdotal, but you know I'm correct.
Ahh, a republican scientist.
Literalism isn't a form of humor, it's you being irritating.