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Should Google remove this picture?

Tom

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As you may or may not know, Google has come under serious criticism from internet users today.

It revolves around searching 'Google Images' for Michelle Obama. The first result is a quite common picture of the first lady. Except, it is distorted and altered, giving as one news outlet has reported 'monkey like features'.

That isn't my problem with it though. Yes, out of curiosity I searched and I'm honestly still shivvering. Something about that picture rings in my head. I can't explain how they made her look (but if you don't want to, dont look), but it's enough to scare me. Really.

And, above the image, Google placed a message saying how some of their pictures are offensive, and they agree, but they won't remove the picture. I find it outrageous.

It's a racist picture of a popular person, millions of people will see it and Google will probably get a lot of complaints, but due to their 'bias towards free speech' will not remove the picture.

Again if you have seen the picture, or have heard of the news, please reply with your thoughts :)
Tom.
 
I am one of those people that gets told not to do something so I have to do it! It is a horrible picture, I fail to see how its racist, maybe that being nieve though? Is monkey a rascist term?
Its the same as when you google Michael though, Michelle is lucky to have one bad picture in my opinon.

When Michael is googled its disgusting :O( But human nature I suppose.
 
sugarbunny891 said:
I am one of those people that gets told not to do something so I have to do it! It is a horrible picture, I fail to see how its racist, maybe that being nieve though? Is monkey a rascist term?
Its the same as when you google Michael though, Michelle is lucky to have one bad picture in my opinon.

When Michael is googled its disgusting :O( But human nature I suppose.
Click to expand...

To call African Americans monkeys or apes is a racist term. I guess its more common in the U.S. It has to do with blacks being thought of as savages, very stupid and less than human.

tomthedude said:
And, above the image, Google placed a message saying how some of their pictures are offensive, and they agree, but they won't remove the picture. I find it outrageous.
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This isn't the first Obama related photoshop with a racist theme. Remember one with the watermelons in front of the White House?

How did this picture get to be the first one people see when searching? Its it because of the hits? Well since Google doesn't want to remove it, an option for them is to make the image unable to be seen when searching under "Moderate" SafeSearch settings.
 
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Oh thanks for clearing that up, I cant say I have ever heard of that term though. :O) .
All celebs/politicans have mocked photoshopped pictures on google.
 
sugarbunny891 said:
I am one of those people that gets told not to do something so I have to do it! It is a horrible picture, I fail to see how its racist, maybe that being nieve though? Is monkey a rascist term?
Its the same as when you google Michael though, Michelle is lucky to have one bad picture in my opinon.

When Michael is googled its disgusting :O( But human nature I suppose.
Click to expand...

I agree!
The things you find when you type his name in google are horrible.
 
they removed the picture from Google.com, I haven't checked the international Google sites.

I think it was poor taste to have that image as the top most picture when typing "Michelle Obama" in the image search. It was obvious that some nasty, possibly bigoted critic against this administration took advantage of google's search engine rank system and got the ape caricature photo ranked to be the initial photo of a queried return of the FLOTUS. It's bad enough that all the other photos that come up from Google image search of the FLOTUS are photos that were used by conservative attack groups who endlessly attacked her all throughout the election year that was 2008, but to have a fake image of her appear as the defacto queried return from accurately searching the correct name works against the performance of Google's image search to begin with.

By the way competitors Yahoo! search or Bing search aren't having this problem, in fact a query of Michelle Obama's name not only brings you an actual photo of Michelle, but they are relevant and not from last year.
 
The things you find on the internet are often quite horrible. Its just the internet, its how people are sometimes, they will do crazy and bizarre things. The internet epitomises both the best and the worst about humans at times.
 
tragickingdom said:
they removed the picture from Google.com, I haven't checked the international Google sites.

I think it was poor taste to have that image as the top most picture when typing "Michelle Obama" in the image search. .
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It proberly due to threads and emails like this. No offence to the OP :eek:), But i looked at it, which gave the picture hits and keeps it up the top.
 
To call African Americans monkeys or apes is a racist term. I guess its more common in the U.S
Click to expand...
its common here aswell they used to be alot of issues with monkey chants and bananas being thrown years back at football matches towards balck players
 
sugarbunny891 said:
I am one of those people that gets told not to do something so I have to do it! It is a horrible picture, I fail to see how its racist, maybe that being nieve though? Is monkey a rascist term?
Its the same as when you google Michael though, Michelle is lucky to have one bad picture in my opinon.

When Michael is googled its disgusting :O( But human nature I suppose.
Click to expand...

Oh my, I have seen that, and I would love to search for pics of Mike in google but this is the main reason why. And I always see that stupid doctored photo of Michael, with a brown or green short sleeve shirt holding one of his noses while having other noses on the table and with a missing nose. I hate that photoshop and others so much. :mat: I do not like running into it but searching for Rare pictures it's enevitble.
 
Dude, is it that picture of her standing in front of a brick wall?! - because that picture is now gonna haunt me for the rest of my life :cry: :cry: :cry:
*goes away and watches "Janet - Again" & "Destiny's Child - Cater 2 U" videos at the same time on dual screens to increase the chance of ever being able to get an erection again*

EDIT: :throwingstonesTom, I hate you - I can't get that picture out of my mind.
I don't wanna live anymore :weeping:

Guys, I'm not even joking... don't google that picture, it's by far the worst thing I've seen in my entire life.
 
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BruceWayne said:
Dude, is it that picture of her standing in front of a brick wall?! - because that picture is now gonna haunt me for the rest of my life :cry: :cry: :cry:
*goes away and watches "Janet - Again" & "Destiny's Child - Cater 2 U" videos at the same time on dual screens to increase the chance of ever being able to get an erection again*

EDIT: :throwingstonesTom, I hate you - I can't get that picture out of my mind.
I don't wanna live anymore :weeping:

Guys, I'm not even joking... don't google that picture, it's by far the worst thing I've seen in my entire life.
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That wasnt it. It was a pic of her with a totally white background...
 
Well my google must be missing something because it didn't come up with anything but normal photo's. Not that I'm complaining, but you know what I mean.
 
StaceyMJ said:
Well my google must be missing something because it didn't come up with anything but normal photo's. Not that I'm complaining, but you know what I mean.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they've removed it 'cause I can't see it anymore either. Below is the original picture and it was edited to give her monkey features.

michelle-obama-3.jpg


elusive moonwalker said:
its common here aswell they used to be alot of issues with monkey chants and bananas being thrown years back at football matches towards balck players
Click to expand...

Hmm...thanks. I know there was a problem with Eto in one match (who plays for Barca) because people were shouting racists things at him and he tried to leave the pitch. I didn't know some people have gone as far as to throw bananas on the pitch.
 
I have not seen this picture at all...however I do think that such comments such as monkey and all that junk is very raciest.....people really should watch what it is they are saying about other people.....journalists are the worst......look at all the crap they called Michael.....makes me crazy with anger...:mad:
 
havent seen the picture...but if it looks like what im imagining it to be then i would have definitely been offended and thats just beyond racist...and people still think racism doesnt exist!! like hell it doesnt!!!
 
MJJ:G.O.A.T said:
Yeah, they've removed it 'cause I can't see it anymore either. Below is the original picture and it was edited to give her monkey features.

michelle-obama-3.jpg




Hmm...thanks. I know there was a problem with Eto in one match (who plays for Barca) because people were shouting racists things at him and he tried to leave the pitch. I didn't know some people have gone as far as to throw bananas on the pitch.
Click to expand...

yeah racism at football matches still happens in mainland europe as i guess they dont have as many black ppl there but its been pretty much irradicated from UK football. the issues here were back in the 70's 80's
 
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