This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/8377922.stm
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Michelle Obama image in race row | Michelle Obama image in race row |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Google has apologised over a racially offensive picture of Michelle Obama which appears when users search for images of the US first lady. | Google has apologised over a racially offensive picture of Michelle Obama which appears when users search for images of the US first lady. |
| The image comes top of Google Images search results for "Michelle Obama". | The image comes top of Google Images search results for "Michelle Obama". |
| Google placed a notice over the image titled "Offensive Search Results", saying: "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree." | Google placed a notice over the image titled "Offensive Search Results", saying: "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree." |
| But it refused to remove the picture from its search results. The White House has declined to comment. | But it refused to remove the picture from its search results. The White House has declined to comment. |
| Users who click on the notice above the image are directed to a statement from Google which explains that its results "can include disturbing content, even from innocuous queries". | Users who click on the notice above the image are directed to a statement from Google which explains that its results "can include disturbing content, even from innocuous queries". |
| ANALYSIS Martin Asser, BBC Search Engine specialist | ANALYSIS Martin Asser, BBC Search Engine specialist |
| Freedom of access to the internet means much offensive material resides there, but ordinary users are seldom exposed to it in daily online activity. | Freedom of access to the internet means much offensive material resides there, but ordinary users are seldom exposed to it in daily online activity. |
| Occasionally, however, the world's most popular search engine, Google, highlights such material, which is what has happened with a mock-up photo of Michelle Obama. | Occasionally, however, the world's most popular search engine, Google, highlights such material, which is what has happened with a mock-up photo of Michelle Obama. |
| The cause is Google's system of algorithmic analysis, which, without human intervention, ranks sites according to things like the number of links pointing there and the amount of activity at the site. | The cause is Google's system of algorithmic analysis, which, without human intervention, ranks sites according to things like the number of links pointing there and the amount of activity at the site. |
| The shocking doctored image of Mrs Obama must have immediately created a flurry of interest - mainly negative - and that sent the image shooting up Google's rankings. class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7272&edition=1&ttl=20091123100307">Send us your comments | |
| "We apologise if you've had an upsetting experience using Google," the company says. | "We apologise if you've had an upsetting experience using Google," the company says. |
| Google says a website's ranking in its search results relies heavily on computer algorithms, using thousands of factors to calculate a page's relevance to a given query. | Google says a website's ranking in its search results relies heavily on computer algorithms, using thousands of factors to calculate a page's relevance to a given query. |
| But the search engine says it does not remove images simply because it receives complaints. | But the search engine says it does not remove images simply because it receives complaints. |
| "Google views the integrity of our search results as an extremely important priority," it says. | "Google views the integrity of our search results as an extremely important priority," it says. |
| "Accordingly, we do not remove a page from our search results simply because its content is unpopular or because we receive complaints concerning it." | "Accordingly, we do not remove a page from our search results simply because its content is unpopular or because we receive complaints concerning it." |
| However, the California-based web giant says it will take down certain images, if required by law to do so. | However, the California-based web giant says it will take down certain images, if required by law to do so. |
| A spokesman for Google, Scott Rubin, would not give details on how the image ended up as top result for the wife of President Barack Obama. | A spokesman for Google, Scott Rubin, would not give details on how the image ended up as top result for the wife of President Barack Obama. |
| 'Slippery slope' | 'Slippery slope' |
| David Vise, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of The Google Story, told the BBC that Google results get to the top based on popularity, not because of any ranking system used by the search engine. | David Vise, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of The Google Story, told the BBC that Google results get to the top based on popularity, not because of any ranking system used by the search engine. |
| He added: "If Google got a call from the White House telling them it's against the law to have an offensive image of this kind which portrays the first lady in a racist manner as a monkey or an ape, then they would be obliged to take it down and I'm sure they would do so immediately." | He added: "If Google got a call from the White House telling them it's against the law to have an offensive image of this kind which portrays the first lady in a racist manner as a monkey or an ape, then they would be obliged to take it down and I'm sure they would do so immediately." |
| But he said it would be a "very slippery slope" if Google were to try to police the limits of free speech. | But he said it would be a "very slippery slope" if Google were to try to police the limits of free speech. |
| "Once you begin to block images, who is to say. It's like the Supreme Court of the United States once said, 'what is pornography?' Well we can't define it, but we know it when we see it." | "Once you begin to block images, who is to say. It's like the Supreme Court of the United States once said, 'what is pornography?' Well we can't define it, but we know it when we see it." |