RACE

Google Results Show Racism, Study Claims

Should the company change its technology to make results less racially biased?

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Feb 4, 2013 by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

The autocorrect shown above is most likely a hoax. Image: Inquisitr

A Harvard professor's study has found that the ads provided alongside Google search results seem to have a racial bias.

If you search for a typically "black" name, you're 25% more likely to see ads that relate to crime. Searching for names like DeShawn, Leroy, and Keisha will often produce ads for criminal background checks and arrest records, whereas searching for names like Brad and Katie rarely throws up results suggestive of a criminal past. The paper found some exceptions, notably Dustin, a typically white name that generated arrest record ads on virtually every search.

Google denies racial profiling, and explains that companies who advertise with Google chose which keywords will expose their ads. That suggests criminal background check firms are giving Google a disproportionate number of "black names" as ad keywords - which is a form of racial profiling, though it's not being carried out intentionally by Google.

Prof. Latanya Sweeney, who authored the as-yet-unpublished research, didn't impute deliberate racial bias to Google. Instead, she suggested Google's search results reflect "racial bias in society." She added that their "smart search" algorithms, which present users with the most frequently-clicked results, are probably compounding the problem.

She has called on Google to develop technology to counteract racial discimination in its ad results.

Via the BBC.

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?	Should Google change its search technology to make ad results less 'racist'?

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Yes, sounds like it

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No, they shouldn't

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I have mixed feelings here

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Comments (view in Forum)

Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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When "Googling" my name (stepped_in_it), what ads came up were for the sale of manure! What do you make of that?
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Feb '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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I'd tell you but then Politix would have to delete my post. :-)
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Feb '13
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Feb '13

thejimbo

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@thejimbo DELETE THAT!
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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@Neo_NtheMatrix R U saying I should change my name to full_of_it? ;-)
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Feb '13

marine1

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@stepped_in_it now you are making me have to think:}
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Feb '13

Fishbone345

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Apparently this study didn't take into account how search engines work and went with the fantasy that there is someone sitting on the other end of our computers hooking us up with links every time we search.
Damn Bot programs! Stop being so racist! We know its possible! Because we said it was!
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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Bahaha.....racist robots! R2D2 and C3PO would be upset....
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Feb '13

Denizen_Kate

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@stepped_in_it - threepeeoh will be upset, but artoo won't give a bleep. Bwaaahahahahahaha!
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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@Denizen_Kate Ahhh....the force is strong with this one ;-)
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Feb '13

Fishbone345

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@stepped_in_it It's that Ginger in her. ;)
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Feb '13

slov

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Omg racism want go away till they stop trying to play. That card...95 % of people black or white dont think about it until someone trying to play it..it happens on both sides.grow up n be adults u suppose to be and tjat would take care of a lot...jus saying
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Feb '13

marine1

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your asking way to much, this is after all the united state of hypocrisy.
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Feb '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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Another faux situation to be outraged about. Liberals see racism everywhere. I'm waiting for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to file a federal lawsuit claiming snow is prejudice because it is always white when it falls. This society is coming off its hinges.
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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Heard Obama put out another EO.....he's demanding that Congress legislate the color of night to fushia with touches of pink...
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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@stepped_in_it Hmmmm, I'm not familiar with that particular hue, is it anything like ~fuschia~?-facepalm-
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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@thatgirl If only I could speel beter....I woulda bein da prezident! ;-)
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Feb '13

jessejaymes

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@stepped_in_it hey! I like the color fushia.
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Feb '13

No_Bama

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Now the internet has to be PC too? What the heck is this nonsense in this country coming too?
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Feb '13

No_Bama

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*to

There, you happy spelling Nazis?
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Feb '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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@No_Bama - You said "Nazis", now they're really going to come for you.
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Feb '13

Fishbone345

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@No_Bama Nein. Ich bin mit dem Wunsch, Sie immer noch korrigieren links!
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Feb '13

Denizen_Kate

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@Neo_NtheMatrix - Two jokes on one article! I hope this is an indication that you're getting over that case of sadness.:)
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Feb '13

YourIQfitsU

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Google is only doing what the majority of Americans already do and thats profiling! Just loke jobs throw away resumes with the name Keisha and Deshawn on it google automatically labels the criminals like HR does at a Fortune 500 company. Just Saying!
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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Hmmm....how can an algorithm "profile"?
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Feb '13

DogLady_1

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This is seriously OLD BS! This controversy came about almost 5 years ago... Snopes even has a write up about it from 2009... geez! Gullible people...
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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And the reason I'm just having fun with it! ;-)
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Feb '13

LGRepublican

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Wow. This is a big part of the problem. People make a big deal out of something as silly as this claiming "racism" and all it does is numb people to cases of REAL racism. It's a case of the boy who cried wolf.....
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Feb '13

NTBFW

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People need to toughen up. It seems that everyone gets offended over some little thing all the time. Of course racism exists. But the majority don't mean to be. And I'm to the point that accusing me of racism is a racist statement and I will let you know it quick. If you try to follow the political correctness rules you wind up not being able to disagree with anyone. There are lots of reasons to not like some one. No reason to worry about why race they are. I don't like liberals. They come in all varieties I don't discriminate.
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Feb '13

earl

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Thjere are no Constitutional protections against being offended.
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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@earl Not to mention oxymorons, so it would appear.
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Feb '13

earl

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@thatgirl No entiendo.
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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@earl Nolo contendere?
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Feb '13

earl

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@thatgirl If you are attempting to post" no lo compredere". That is true, I won't understand until you give the context of "oxymoron."
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Feb '13

Medicinebow

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I'm going to have to try Jim Bob, Junior or Bubba and see what comes up. Probably a bunch of gun, boot, chewing tobacco and NASCAR ads. Maybe i'll put Mr. in front of the name to see if more sophisticated ads popup...like ranching supplies and atv's.
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Feb '13

ST_Louie_Sue

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Bubba might get you a picture of Bill Clinton. Had you said Billy Bob that would be Thornton. And Junior would be Al Gore, Jr. or Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ;-)
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Feb '13

Amtrak_Sam

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"That suggests criminal background check firms are giving Google a disproportionate number of "black names" as ad keywords."

And why do you think they're giving a disproportionate number of black names?
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Feb '13

Trijun

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Google does as Google pleases. They've taken down a number of web sites that were attempting to expose Police corruption and criminal abuses in places like Albuquerque. They never provided an explanation for their actions. From the way they capitulated to the communist Chinese government, I wouldn't be surprised about anything unethical Google does. Thankfully, the FBI is finally investigating the Albuquerque Police Department and equally corrupt criminal justice system.
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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Who looks at the stupid Google ads, anyway?
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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the color fuchsia?
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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@stepped_in_it More like magenta, and perhaps citrine. :P
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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@thatgirl HMMM.....a woman who knows her colors.....a keeper in most big cities and some small ones!
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Feb '13

thatgirl

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@stepped_in_it My daddy always called me a storehouse of useless information. He was actually quite proud of it, lol
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Feb '13

Dan_Tien

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I see the problem as being Google's commercialization of its internet search engine. You do not see the most pertinent information available related to the choice of words that you enter, you first see the results that are advantageous to Google's advertisers.
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Feb '13

SavageMazx

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This country is so doomed.
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Feb '13

texas_cutie75

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I'm almost sorry I came onto Topix today. I feel my IQ dropping steadily today!:-(
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Feb '13

stepped_in_it

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Whenever my IQ starts to drop, I immediately call my broker and sell, sell, sell.
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Feb '13
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Feb '13

SignifiedNBlue

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Seems there is nothing a liberal wont find thats not racist.. Oh my God. Should we change the color of feces? Its racist lol
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Feb '13

bsking

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They can't be racist they're Democrats
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Feb '13

Buckfan4life2

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And the continueal feeding the fire of racism by the liberal media! When are you people going to stop?
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Politix

Should Google change its search technology to make ad results less 'racist'?

Should Google change its search technology to make ad results less 'racist'?