Google apologises for racist caricature in Michelle Obama search results

The Telegraph ^ | 11/25/2009 | Matthew Moore

[markomalley]

Google has apologised after a racist caricature of Michelle Obama became the top result for users searching for pictures of the US First Lady.

Anyone typing "Michelle Obama" into Google Images this morning was presented with an altered photo depicting the US president's wife with animal features.

In a rare move, Google has posted a message on the top of the results page distancing itself from the image, in the box usually reserved for sponsored links.

The note, which states "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree" directs users to a page explaining the technology giant's policy on "disturbing" search results.

The message makes it clear that the Michelle Obama image is not endorsed by Google, but indicates that the company will take no action to have it removed.

"Google views the integrity of our search results as an extremely important priority," it states.

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

[popdonnelly]

There’s a difference between being funny and being a moron. I put the ugly caricatures, no matter who they’re of, in the moron category.

[FreeAtlanta]

You have my full agreement.

[Onelifetogive]

Google apologises for racist caricature in Michelle Obama search results

It is racist to say that this picture is racist. When the chimp image was George W Bush, google did not apologize, but when it is Michelle Obama, they apologize. Hmmmm, treating people differently because of their race...isn't that racism?

[blastdad51]

Another reason why I don’t use google

[ryan71]

Apparently, Google believe and embrace the “black person/monkey” stereotype. Why else would they make the correlation, calling it racist, with Michelle but not Bush?

[ELS]

The message makes it clear that the Michelle Obama image is not endorsed by Google, but indicates that the company will take no action to have it removed.

Well, the image doesn't come up in the search results anymore.

[markomalley]

Well, the image doesn't come up in the search results anymore.

Glad I grabbed a jpeg (see comment #1)...

[markomalley]

Link to Google images result (prior to them removing link to picture)

(I didn't realize that the moderators removed the first comment with the image itself)

[reagan_fanatic]

Thank God Google also apologized for all the photos of Bush as a monkey and as Adolf Hitler over the last nine years.

Oh, wait...

[soycd]

There is no need to photoshop this loser of a first lady...

[soycd]

Sometimes reality bites...

[lentulusgracchus]

You can get a haircut, girl, but you can't do much about all that hos-til-i-ty.