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Seven Words You Can't Say On Google Instant

Posted by timothy on from the cockney-slang-works-fine dept.

theodp writes "Back in 1972, Georgle Carlin gave us the Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. Thirty-eight years later, Valleywag reports on The Definitive List of Words Google Thinks Are Naughty. You've probably noticed how the new Google Instant tries to guess what you're searching for while you type — unless it thinks your search is dirty, in which case you'll be forced to actually press ENTER to see your results. Leave it to the enterprising folks at 2600 to compile an exhaustive list of words and phrases Google Instant won't auto-search for."

5 of 257 comments (clear)

  1. I'm surprised. by stimpleton · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I read the list. I was expecting words that usually mean something everyday but have broadened to include potential offensive material. Amateur for example.

    What surprises me is the list includes words where the definition would have to be known, and the person consciously wants to find the subject matter. a2m for example.

    But its broader. A few choice ones on the list: fecal(legitmate medical/anotomical usage), lesBian, and finally, redtube gets the censor treatment.

    I like the comment next to "cucold" - this one dates back to 1250, but it dies here.

    And google has the gaul to climb on a soap box about censorship, the great wall filters of Australia etc.

    --

    In post Patriot Act America, the library books scan you.
    1. Re:I'm surprised. by pitchpipe · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Say you are googling "Amateur Astronomy" with someone looking over your shoulder - do they really need to see "Amateur As" partial result (lots of porn links on that page)?

      I actually played around with this. If you pause, whatever google instant is suggesting that you search for becomes part of your browser history. So yeah, that could be a problem, especially at work.

      --
      Look where all this talking got us, baby.
  2. Filter on results by golden+age+villain · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Could it be that this system blacklists the words based on the content to be displayed and not based on the input itself?

    1. Re:Filter on results by Haeleth · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Blocking "amateur" is interesting. The first page of Google results I get for the word doesn't include anything remotely NSFW -- but the related searches list is almost entirely related to amateur porn. I wonder if that's what's triggering the block.

      I certainly can't believe that Google would go with a static blacklist this complicated.

  3. Re:OK, it's not a bug by SimonInOz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Some years ago, I wrote an Internet chat system for a major Australian bank (which bank? No comment). Ok, innovative enough at the time, but not too exciting.

    But here's the interesting bit - they sent me a list of words they considered offensive. I had to write a special scanner to handle this - the most challenging part being dick. I was supposed to reject "dick", but accept "dick smith" [which is a major Australia techie shop, equivalent to Tandy or Radio Shack, perhaps] .

    So anyway, I was left in possession of a list of words banks don't like. Maybe I should publish it.

    --
    "Cats like plain crisps"