Google: we won't remove "disturbing" Obama image

Too right. Google has no business censoring the web because some people find some pictures objectionable but they are not illegal.

What's wrong is that Google shouldn't have to post an apologise. It's a search provider not a content host.

By Perfectblue97 on 24 Nov 2009

I wonder what they would've done if the Chinese government had asked them to remove it? /bait

By Mr_Flynn on 24 Nov 2009

Google is absolutely right not to remove it - where would it stop if they did start doing that, and by doing it they could be seen to be taking responsibility for the material.

But the question has to be asked of how it got to be number 1 and whether they need to look at their algorithms.

By halsteadk on 24 Nov 2009

Am I missing something?

The site appears to be hosted on blogger.com, which is owned by Google. So in effect aren't Google partly responsible for the content as its one of their sites and content is governed by their acceptable use policy?

By rjp2000 on 24 Nov 2009

Safe search?

Curiously, if you remove the safe search option, that picture doesn't appear - not in the first four or five pages - I stopped looking after that

By greemble on 24 Nov 2009

Not just 'objectionable'

Google's defence is a little disingenuous. That image of Michelle Obama is clearly a racist cariacature designed to offend and insult. If a Google search for 'Mohammed' showed as its first result a cariacature of him with a bomb in his turban somehow I think Google would be looking harder at how the image came to be there and who posted it. That said this image shouldn't be censored as such; but I would have thought it should only be accessible to users who had switched off Safe Searching and were prepared for some... challenging images.

By Noghar on 24 Nov 2009

@Noghar

Couldn't have said it better myself.

By nicomo on 24 Nov 2009

@Noghar

Summed up brilliantly

By a_byrne22 on 24 Nov 2009

Double standard?

Strange how Google were willing to fix the 'miserable failure' Google bomb which linked to George Bush's profile - a questionable but essentially harmless prank - but aren't willing to fix a similar bomb that shows a definitely racist image.

By monged on 24 Nov 2009

Google who are you trying to kid!!!

Well to be honest I guess the only reason Google did not remove it was because it smeared those that oppose Obama, you just have to see how they have manipulated climategate search returns to see where their loyalties lie.

I do not like Obama or his wife, but that is a racist image (a real one not a false one) and I find it offensive and I think it should be removed.

People say MS is dangerous, but Google is much worse.

By totallypbm on 24 Nov 2009

Unless it is China

Accordingly, we do not remove a page from our search results simply because its content is unpopular or because we receive complaints concerning it."

Yes unless it is China where they remove what ever for any reason where the government demands it.

You have to take the good with the bad particularly on the internet. It's a virtual documentary of life in the 21 century.

How is it worst that this
http://www.gwjokes.com/pictures/go-ape.jpg
or this
http://ninxmz.org/images/demotivators/condoleezza%
20rice.jpg

Google isn't the cause of racism in the US. And it certainly isn't involved in dumbing down the population.

By akayani on 26 Nov 2009

Hypocrisy Is Not OK

"Do No Evil" as even a guiding slogan for Google went out the window long ago.

Google bowed to Beijing dictators who insisted Google censor what the people of China see on the internet. Beijing told Google censorship was the price of admission to China.

So much for the internet "freedom" Google cites in defending its policy regarding attacks on Michelle Obama.

In the past, Google not only has responded to complaints but also pulled the functionality that allowed the celebrated "Bush bomb" to work.

By alphaa010 on 26 Nov 2009

Hypocrisy Is Not OK

"Do No Evil" as even a guiding slogan for Google went out the window long ago.

Google bowed to Beijing dictators who insisted Google censor what the people of China see on the internet. Beijing told Google censorship was the price of admission to China.

So much for the internet "freedom" Google cites in defending its policy regarding attacks on Michelle Obama.

In the past, Google not only has responded to complaints but also pulled the functionality that allowed the celebrated "Bush bomb" to work.

By alphaa010 on 26 Nov 2009

Hypocrisy Is Not OK

"Do No Evil" as even a guiding slogan for Google went out the window long ago.

Google bowed to Beijing dictators who insisted Google censor what the people of China see on the internet. Beijing told Google censorship was the price of admission to China.

So much for the internet "freedom" Google cites in defending its policy regarding attacks on Michelle Obama.

In the past, Google not only has responded to complaints but also pulled the functionality that allowed the celebrated "Bush bomb" to work.

By alphaa010 on 26 Nov 2009

And PC Pro found it necessary

to reproduce the image here as well... thus ensuring the image continues to proliferate.

Has Mrs Obabma commented on the image? IF she has, it has not gained the prominence that this "story" has. The web has an offensive image on it... woopee do. Thats hardly NEWs.

By alan_lj on 26 Nov 2009

Bush Monkey

Where were all the cries of racism when various images of George Bush Jr have been morphed into, or likened to monkeys?

By sexyjw on 26 Nov 2009

you create a technology..

And people will use it for good and evil. The issue here is that the posters of the image have utilised google's technology to make it visible and a story. I can imagine far more offensive images that could be no 1 om a Michelle Obama image search.

By ptp_producer on 26 Nov 2009

Good for Google

well done to Google for their stance, they can’t be seen to support or criticize content on the web and have been put in a compromising situation. I feel they have made the best of a bad job and the scumbag that posted this image in the first place should be tracked down and taken to court for a clear attempt at raising racial hatred. This image is not funny in any way, it just goes to show how pathetic some parts of society are and thank God they are in the minority.

By iain_cocks on 26 Nov 2009

Google Right To Say This

However, it would be nice if they could remain consistent - as many have alluded to, re China.
Nice post re Blogger too; isn't "racist," along with "hate," somewhere in the list of things you can't publish?

By Klobba on 26 Nov 2009

Alexandr

I remember at least one similar picture of 2006 that imaged President Bush as an ape. It was made and published by a left-wing Democrat artist. Liberals were delighted and, for a strange reason, no one called that image "racist".

Now, Obama sympathizers, you should shut up. One of you has started this savage tradition 3 years ago, and you all silently approved it. Today you got an equivalent response. You are trying to say that a white Republican President can be imaged as a monkey, but a black Democrat President cannot; it is branded "racist" and "hateful".

This approach will not work. This picture is just one of many to follow, and you have already approved all pictures of this kind 3 years ago, when Bush was President. Sorry. You are demonstrating a striking inverse racism now; a self-proclaimed dominance of blacks over the whites.
It is a vain attempt.

By Alexandr14 on 27 Nov 2009