Slashdot Mirror
Seven Words You Can't Say On Google Instant
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."
I just love the endless amusement of typing "Is it wrong..." into google and seeing the list (to sleep with my dog/brother/mother).
Well done Google.
is it censorship when they still allow you to search the terms?
This has nothing to do with censorship. They just don't want people searching "assignment" to have their screen jammed full of porn before you finish typing.
They just took terms that have a high probability of having something many would consider offensive showing up in the first few results. You have to remember they haven't disabled the searches, just disabled the instant search (which I hate anyhow). So you can type in the search press enter and Google will search as normal. What it won't do is instantly search.
That might be why there are some normally benign terms there, because when searched for they come up with potentially offensive links.
I'm ok with this idea. They aren't stopping the terms from being searched for, they aren't reordering their search. They are just trying to make sure people don't accidentally see things that would get them mad at Google. While I'm a proponent of the idea that people should stop being so whiny and easily offended, that doesn't mean Google shouldn't be pragmatic about it. This doesn't really affect anything in the big scheme of things.
It is not protection from naughty stuff, it is protection from embarassing searches.
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)?
They don't, neither do you. If you really want that result, press enter.
Pretty much all of those terms lead to porn results on first page of searches (lots of seo power...).
-- Technology for the sake of technology is as pathetic as eschewing technology because it's technology.
Why does everyone assume that Puritans never got any?
It's a fact. They are pure and abstinent, just like their parents, and their parents before them.
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.
Many people have SafeSearch always off.
This is to stop you getting porn when you're trying to look for something else - or someone is looking over your shoulder.
Assignment will get you quite a bit of stuff by the time you typed the first three letters.
And you can JUST PRESS ENTER. Wow, problem solved. Don't break your fingers buddy. Not censorship at all - its more a case of "Don't show me porn unless I ask for it".
I'm pretty sure this is a feature, not censorship.
Imagine being at work and searching for something like "white power cord" or something. Now, yes, you could go to Google Shopping to search for it, or turn off Instant if you're going to be searching for things like that, but most people won't, and do you really want your company seeing you search for "white power?"
As an example, I'm going to be raising some chickens in a while so I was looking up "how to test for salmonella." The instant search suggestion when I typed the "s" in "salmonella" was "STDs." I'd rather not be seen searching for *that* at work.
It just makes sense that Google would avoid doing things that'll trip up your company's web filters if you're searching for innocuous things that temporarily turn less innocuous due to Google's own features and default settings.
I claim first use of "Error No. 0B" - or "No. 0B error." It'll be the new ID 10T!