Google Buys Ad Explaining Offensive Image Result

Posted by Tyler Sutherland

If you search for Michelle Obama on Google Image Search, the first result that pops up isn’t too flattering.

Take a look:

Michelle Obama - Google Image Search

In fact, so much fuss has been made about the image — which is a cross between the First Lady and a monkey — Google has taken out an ad explaining how images rank in their results. They explain how search results are presented based on a site’s ranking and how authoritative it is. Google had previously removed the image from their results when it was hosted on another site, because it “violated Google’s guidelines by serving malware to visitors.” Those who know a little SEO (search engine optimization) can sometimes tweak a listing in their site’s favour to rank higher in Google than others. A few years ago, searching for “miserable failure” brought up the official White House website for former President George W. Bush. Google fixed that problem.

UPDATE: The image has since been removed.

– With files from SearchEngineLand.com

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  • http://www.surfvoucher.com surfvoucher

    Have you taken a look at the suggested searches lately. You’ll be amazed on how many offensive suggestions you’ll find. The Michelle Obama picture is only one of the thousands offensive and unrelated results google is showing.

  • WpgCameraMan

    Enter ‘teen’ anything in Google it’s nasty. I don’t have any filters (ever in real life), but sometimes searches turn up some real NSFW shit.

    And you can’t add a “morally offensive” tag to the search, because my morals are different than say, a Christian Conservative.

    You get what you get with the Internet, take the good with the bad.

    What does bother me is if the search brings up an image that is flagged by the cops, and all of a sudden your IP is suspended and the popo show up at your door.