Is google racist? Do the test and see what comes up.

[marylander1940]

Is Google search for "three black teenagers" racist?

 

 

https://twitter.com/iBeKabir/status/740005897930452992

[+ bigjoey]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/06/09/google-image-search-three-black-teenagers-three-white-teenagers/85648838/

[marylander1940]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/06/09/google-image-search-three-black-teenagers-three-white-teenagers/85648838/

 

Thanks for the link!

[Kippy]

Try "Three nuns" on google-- the concept of the search is flawed--not racist!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

[marylander1940]

Try "Three nuns" on google-- the concept of the search is flawed--not racist!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

 

exactly also flawed by social stereotypes, press articles, the media, youtube, etc...

[+ ArVaGuy]

Google is not racist. It is an algorithm designed to solve a specific query by searching the billions of pages on the Internet in mere seconds. That in this instance the search "three black teenagers" results in images of mugshots is not the fault of the algorithm. As noted the search criteria is deeply flawed. Perhaps intentionally to stir a silly debate or "prove" a false assertion.

[Nvr2Thick]

The problem with the photos app is definitely a cultural failure on Google's part. They need to perform R&D using a broader cross-section of the population.

 

The ideas put forth about how the search algorithm should be changed is absurd and impossible. Think of all the words, and all the aspects of society that would have to be managed so as to overcome cultural bias and impose a bias of their own choosing. If there's anything worse than a global Internet tool that reflects the ills of society it's a powerful corporation exerting its influence on how we gather information.

[bostonman]

An apocryphal story from a colleague. (This dates back to 2003, and I'm not sure whether this was Google or another search engine, but the algorithm issue is similar.)

 

In doing costume research for a musical production, my colleague needed to buy a bunch of little plastic yellow chickies that would go on the costume. (Don't ask, lol.) The chickies needed a flat base to work properly in the design. So she decided to search the web for "flat bottom chicks."

 

And, as the story goes, all she got was porn sites.

[MsGuy]

"Flat bottom twinks" gets good results too but "flat bottom men" mostly gets you pictures of shoes for some reason known only the god of algorithms.

[Kippy]

More of an adjective than a noun I guess!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

[+ SundayZip]

Getting angry at Google for search results is like getting angry at your credit card company when you get your monthly statement and see all those purchases that you made last month.

[marylander1940]

Getting angry at Google for search results is like getting angry at your credit card company when you get your monthly statement and see all those purchases that you made last month.

 

Exactly, google just researches mathematically what we (mankind) write.

[+ quoththeraven]

The correct question is "Do Google Image searches produce racist results?" Answer: yes, because they operate in and draw data from a racist society.

 

The next question is whether to take steps to change the results. I don't know how Google's algorithms associate words or phrases and images - does Google do it, is it based on image metadata, or what? The Good Wife had an episode about this.

 

But these results are not harmless. Case in point? Last night was Latin night at Pulse in Orlando. So far the (short) list of those who died, have been identified, and their families notified appears to consist of Latinx men. Yet a hashtag set up to push back against the narrative that the shooter became enraged at seeing two guys kissing has been full of photos of hot white guys kissing because that's what comes up first on Google Images.

 

tweeting pics of hot white guys kissing is not showing support for the black and brown queer people killed last night. #TwoGuysKissing (source)

 

Does it matter? Or do we shrug it off? And if we shrug it off, aren't we in effect saying "we're not going to work to change the assumption white is the norm"? And how does that differ from saying "we're not going to work to change the assumption that straight is the norm"? If we'd accepted that straight is the norm, marriage equality would not exist today.

 

What is the principled distinction between queer people of color and queer white people that explains why it's respectful to erase the identity of those who actually died here?

[+ FreshFluff]

What is the principled distinction between queer people of color and queer white people that explains why it's respectful to erase the identity of those who actually died here?

 

I only read a few hours ago that it had been Latin night at the Pulse. I'm guessing that many of the people Tweeting probably didn't/don't know and haven't necessarily read the names of the identified victims yet. They simply searched "two guys kissing" and took something from the first few lines.

[+ quoththeraven]

I only read a few hours ago that it had been Latin night at the Pulse. I'm guessing that many of the people Tweeting probably didn't/don't know and haven't necessarily read the names of the identified victims yet. They simply searched "two guys kissing" and took something from the first few lines.

 

If you look in the thread of the tweet I linked, someone posting to the hashtag said she was pulling the first GIFs that came up without thinking, thanked the tweeter for calling her on it, and apologized, indicating she was aware, as I was simply from looking at my Twitter feed. It was Latin night and the flyer featured black and Latina trans women (posted on another thread). It's also possible news coverage mentioned the ethnic mix of the club based on interviews with survivors. The person originating the tweet isn't local but knew about it. Word spreads quickly.