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Google is messing with your search algorithms

  • 10-10-2019 1:56pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭


    As pointed out by James O Keefe and Project Veritas google was already manipulating it's search algorithms because the algorithms themselves were sexist/racist apparently. Google quickly changed many of the ones pointed out though.

    For example; most CEO's are male. When you do a search for CEOs it used to bring up mostly men. Google and others argue this is sexist because it does not give women an idea that they can also be CEOs.

    I was just watching an interview with Douglas Murray where he points out new ones(I'm sure to be fixed soon by google).

    Just do a search on google images for:

    "Gay Couples"
    "Straight Couples"
    "Black Couples"
    "White Couples"

    Why is it black people and Asian people are 'allowed' to see couples of themselves but white people are not?

    At least with the CEOs it made some sense... This seems to be the silicon valley elite deciding what is hate and what is not and applying it arbitrarily and dangerously.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,352 ✭✭✭✭Boggles



    Just do a search on google images for:

    "Gay Couples"
    "Straight Couples"
    "Black Couples"
    "White Couples"

    You are grand thanks.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    Boggles wrote: »
    You are grand thanks.

    Black couples brings up black coupless.
    Asian couples brings up Asian coupless.
    White couples brings up mixed couples.

    This is the interview I was listening to. starts 23mins11seconds


    "It doesn't occur to most people that when you type something into a search engine, what your getting back isn't true, or isn't real, or isn't representative of what you wanted to get" -Douglas Murray


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,352 ✭✭✭✭Boggles


    Where should this go on the list of things I give an actual fúck about?

    You need to get a hobby lad.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,853 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Black couples brings up black coupless.
    Asian couples brings up Asian coupless.
    White couples brings up mixed couples.

    Eh the top results show mixed couples because they're all linking back to your conspiracy theory

    Still getting mostly men when I google ceo by the way


  • Site Banned Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭sk8erboii


    Retarded thread. Search algorithms work based on key words. If you type in ‘couple’ youll see theyre all white because this is the default. Adding in ‘white’ inserts tags based on race and shows people from different races.


    This thread highlights the stupidity of anyone who buys into the google conspiracy sh*te Gemma O’Doherty rambles on about


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,853 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    sk8erboii wrote: »
    Retarded thread. Search algorithms work based on key words. If you type in ‘couple’ youll see theyre all white because this is the default. Adding in ‘white’ inserts tags based on race and shows people from different races.


    This thread highlights the stupidity of anyone who buys into the google conspiracy sh*te Gemma O’Doherty rambles on about

    Yeah it's super white if you just do that


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 536 ✭✭✭Harvey Weinstein


    Screen-Shot-2019-10-10-at-15-13-27.png

    This is what I get when I type in 'White Couples'

    Maybe Gemma was on to something


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    Boggles wrote: »
    You are grand thanks.

    You don't need to come into threads you aren't interested in to tell us, thanks


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    Eh the top results show mixed couples because they're all linking back to your conspiracy theory

    Still getting mostly men when I google ceo by the way

    My conspiracy theory? Did you do a google search for 'white couples'?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,840 ✭✭✭hetuzozaho


    Ballso wrote: »
    You don't need to come into threads you aren't interested in to tell us, thanks

    I enjoyed his contribution :)

    But Google "manipulating it's search algorithms" is surely Google's job.

    I manipulate my algorithms all the time :)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    This is easy to point out with race/gender etc.. but imagine when we can't as easily point to how the algorithm is corrupting what we want to search for?

    Is no one upset that this is being done?

    By the way I'm mixed race and not white if that helps anyone's morale compasses.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    hetuzozaho wrote: »
    I enjoyed his contribution :)

    But Google "manipulating it's search algorithms" is surely Google's job.

    I manipulate my algorithms all the time :)

    What do you mean when you say manipulate? You don't seem to be using it correctly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,352 ✭✭✭✭Boggles


    Ballso wrote: »
    You don't need to come into threads you aren't interested in to tell us, thanks

    Sterling contribution yourself.

    But still, no I'm not googling "Gay Couples" because some re-reg has too much time on their hands and has CT'd themselves retarded.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 536 ✭✭✭Harvey Weinstein


    This is easy to point out with race/gender etc.. but imagine when we can't as easily point to how the algorithm is corrupting what we want to search for?

    Is no one upset that this is being done?

    By the way I'm mixed race and not white if that helps anyone's morale compasses.

    Google has in general, gone to the dogs as a search engine. Its quite often now when I cannot find what I'm looking for.
    Topics such as film criticism/theory for example, I often search for this and almost always get results from vacuous mainstream magazine articles rather than serious articles (which I used to always get)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,840 ✭✭✭hetuzozaho


    What do you mean when you say manipulate? You don't seem to be using it correctly.

    To manipulate an algorithm I presume you mean alter/edit?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    What is the harm people searching for pictures of straight couples?:confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 536 ✭✭✭Harvey Weinstein


    What is the harm people searching for pictures of straight couples?:confused:

    Strangely, searching for 'straight couples' brings up quite a lot of Gay couples.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    yeah when you just type "couples" its mostly white people


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    Boggles wrote: »
    Sterling contribution yourself.

    But still, no I'm not googling "Gay Couples" because some re-reg has too much time on their hands and has CT'd themselves retarded.

    Youre a great lad altogether aren't you? Great for you to have boards.ie to prove to yourself and everyone else how wonderful and right-on you are every day.

    Anyway, as technology becomes more and more prevalent in our lives it's important to understand the lenses we view the world through. I don't particularly buy into this example and frankly think deliberate manipulation of algorithms by the far right is a much more pressing issue at the moment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    Strangely, searching for 'straight couples' brings up quite a lot of Gay couples.

    Everyone gets different results. Which is kind of the point.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    sk8erboii wrote: »
    Retarded thread. Search algorithms work based on key words. If you type in ‘couple’ youll see theyre all white because this is the default. Adding in ‘white’ inserts tags based on race and shows people from different races.
    This thread highlights the stupidity of anyone who buys into the google conspiracy sh*te Gemma O’Doherty rambles on about

    Obviously you are oblivious to "machine learning fairness" probably willfully so.

    Your opinion is ignorant.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 536 ✭✭✭Harvey Weinstein


    Ballso wrote: »
    Youre a great lad altogether aren't you? Great for you to have boards.ie to prove to yourself and everyone else how wonderful and right-on you are every day.

    Anyway, as technology becomes more and more prevalent in our lives it's important to understand the lenses we view the world through. I don't particularly buy into this example and frankly think deliberate manipulation of algorithms by the far right is a much more pressing issue at the moment.

    What do you mean by this, as in how do they deliberately manipulate algorithms?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    Ballso wrote: »
    Everyone gets different results. Which is kind of the point.

    straight-couples.jpg


    I bet everyone has this same thing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,194 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    This thread haz the Dumb.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Veritas Libertas


    jimgoose wrote: »
    This thread haz the Dumb.

    Oh so you must know what ML fairness is, how it is implemented and maybe you can explain the results we are seeing?

    Please do tell.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,194 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Oh so you must know what ML fairness is, how it is implemented and maybe you can explain the results we are seeing?

    Please do tell.

    It's already been explained to you. The word "white" is generally only mentioned in data/metadata associated with articles and pictures on/of mixed-race couples. And ML "fairness" is generally implemented by bearded dorks beavering away making stupid machines even stupider. And I'd know! :D

    Why, what do you actually think is going on - Google et al going out of it's way to try to make us gay/black/piebald/whatever? Why on Earth would they do such a thing?? :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,690 ✭✭✭✭Skylinehead


    "Google is messing with your search algorithms"

    Google is messing with their search algorithms, which they own. And I'm sure they update them daily, as you would.

    What's supposed to be the issue here :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,895 ✭✭✭✭BorneTobyWilde


    Even on youtube it happens, it's like there are only 20 videos on youtube, as they are suggested to me over and over. Would be great to see actual youtube, not my version.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    What do you mean by this, as in how do they deliberately manipulate algorithms?

    Plenty of ways. There are bot farms using machine learning to generate social media content, analysing the responses and constantly refining based on the level of engagement etc.

    Technology can be used for nefarious purposes, dismissing corporate and political manipulation just because it happens to align with a particular belief system would be a mistake.

    This stuff should be thought in schools I think. You can see how hard the older generation fall for it, coming from a place where they don't understand the tech.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,586 ✭✭✭4068ac1elhodqr


    Actually thought the OP was having a laugh, so just now put 'straight couples' in the googlebot box, and whola this is top of the 1st results:

    XyqNjcQ.png

    It's no longer great (or acceptable via Google) to be straight.
    Down with the straights!


  • Site Banned Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭sk8erboii


    Actually thought the OP was having a laugh, so just now put 'straight couples' in the googlebot box, and whola this is top of the 1st results:

    XyqNjcQ.png

    It's no longer great (or acceptable via Google) to be straight.
    Down with the straights!

    Type in ‘couples’


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,586 ✭✭✭4068ac1elhodqr


    sk8erboii wrote: »
    Type in ‘couples’
    If you search for 'red cars', would you not expect to see cars (bear with me now, for some way far out thinking), that are red?


  • Site Banned Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭sk8erboii


    If you search for 'red cars', would you not expect to see cars (bear with me now, for some way far out thinking), that are red?

    Search engine algorithm works on the filenames, tags and surrounding words. It doesnt have a way of knowing what the actual image is. If you type in ‘red car’ you dont get red cars, you get cartoons that have been tagged around ‘red’ and ‘car’

    Likewise, if you type in straight couple youre getting images with the word ‘straight couple’ around it. Look at the first image of straight couple it links to an article (for me) titled ‘ What Straight Couples Can Learn From Gay Couples About Relationships’

    Theres much more to it, but theres no conspiracy here. Thats how search engines work and you could do it with bing, yahoo, duckduckgo and itll show the same results. (Same as in typing in ‘white couple’ will bring up tags of race and show people from different races).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 465 ✭✭Ballso


    "Google is messing with your search algorithms"

    Google is messing with their search algorithms, which they own. And I'm sure they update them daily, as you would.

    What's supposed to be the issue here :D

    The issue is we've become over reliant on these companies for formulating our world view and are open to manipulation. They are openly censoring things in China for example (not that the Chinese know, they think everything is rosy because there is very little bad news in the internet). Whereas the internet in the West seems to be only bad news.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 867 ✭✭✭moonage


    Apparently, Google thinks that anyone looking for images of "white couples" or "straight couples" are bigots and terrible human beings in general. To teach them a lesson they give them images of black and gay couples instead.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2019/01/google-image-search-results-black-white-couples.html
    If you were to type in “black couple” on Google’s image search, you would end up seeing a wide variety of couples who are, in fact, black. However, if you search for “white couple” on Google, what’s going to end up happening is that you are going to end up seeing couples that are interracial, which means that only one of the partners will be white. Many users have been very offended by this, saying that this shows Google’s true agenda, which according to them is race mixing.

    Apart from the obvious racist undertones of the backlash around these search results, the reason that this happens is actually quite understandable. Google’s very own Danny Sullivan, who was tagged in a tweet related to the matter, decided to put rumors to rest by explaining why this happens. Apparently when someone uploads a picture of a white couple they don’t use any racial keywords. Basically, white couples are just described as “couples” whereas images of black couples are usually captioned as such. The only time the word “white” tends to get used when describing the couple is when it is an interracial couple, and since Google’s image search looks for keywords it ends up showing you images of interracial couples when you might be looking for a white one. Searching for a couple shows you mostly white couples, which in and of itself shows a racial bias among the users of the internet rather than Google.

    If you just type "couple/s" the great majority are white


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,731 ✭✭✭✭osarusan



    No use explaining it to people who simply don't want to know because then they'd have one less thing to bleat about.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Sure but it's an interesting topic and shows how the perfectly unconscious bias of picture uploaders creates something which some think is a conspiracy. No one types caucasian or European instead of white but that helps to return more white faces. Quite why anyone would be googling couples on a race basis is another matter.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭kenmm


    Google is messing with their search algorithms, which they own. And I'm sure they update them daily, as you would.

    You are partially correct here, but google don't update "daily" (or not in the way that I suspect you think).

    Google try to find results tailored to YOU. This ins't a conspiracy to change results based on how politically correct they may appear, its simply to make sure they can maximize the profits from their core business.

    These results are easily tailored based on the huge amounts of information Google holds on you (or the average user at least). The changing results on more innocent terms like "Gay couple" etc are a by prodcut of this sales customisation and the whole process of Google thinking they know what you want before you even know it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭mcmoustache


    It's quite amazing how various youtube talking heads have figured out how to maximise outrage enough to get their audience to head off to other forums with the same outrage. That's not to say that the outrage takes hold but it's still impressive.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,974 ✭✭✭Chris_Heilong


    I think google know they are a company of influence and due to this somehow feel it is their responsibility to shape peoples opinions. They will use their product how they see fit with whatever politically ideology they personally hold will be the basis of its implementation regardless of if they realise it themselves or not. Nothing is going to change how they operate and your only choice is to accept the world is full of agendas you do not agree with being pushed and just choose to use the product anyway or find an alternative product that can do something similar.

    Of coarse you will get the usual suspects coming out of the wood work denying anything is a foot and calling all those who highlight an issue as being an idiot, conspiracy theorist or one of the many "-isms/-ists" in an attempt to shame instead of actually forming an argument as to why they disagree with the original point.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭kenmm


    I think google know they are a company of influence and due to this somehow feel it is their responsibility to shape peoples opinions.

    They don't give a sh!te about "being a company of influence" unless the influence is to increase sales.

    They sometimes tweak things that would appear sexist/ offensive etc but only so they don't themselves get bad press.

    They are not pushing some happy clappy utopian world, they are the epitome of capitalism.

    Nothing is going to change how they operate and your only choice is to accept the world is full of agendas you do not agree with being pushed and just choose to use the product anyway or find an alternative product that can do something similar.

    pretty much..


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,217 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    sk8erboii wrote: »
    Type in ‘couples’
    Yup. I don't use google as I think they're dicks, but the same thing happens in Duckduckgo. Type in couples you get all palefaces, type in "white couple" and you get more dark and mixed couples.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 ✭✭✭dan1895


    Searched for "couples". First five or six are straight and white. The next few are mainly white with a couple of mixed race. A gay couple appears further down. The op's point is ridiculous.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,217 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    kenmm wrote: »
    They don't give a sh!te about "being a company of influence" unless the influence is to increase sales.

    They sometimes tweak things that would appear sexist/ offensive etc but only so they don't themselves get bad press.

    They are not pushing some happy clappy utopian world, they are the epitome of capitalism.
    This. For all their right on public pronouncements and beanbags and fancy coffee machines for their drones workers, it's all about the cash. If nazis actually took over them and facebook would have wee swastikas you could like.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,496 ✭✭✭Will I Am Not


    It would be funny to watch it play out if Facebook, Twitter, Google etc. were all bought up by a conservative consortium.
    Would we see the “it’s their company, they can do what they like” posts? Doubt it.


  • Posts: 5,869 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    They're not my algorithms, by the way, they're Google's to do with as they see fit.


  • Posts: 5,869 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It would be funny to watch it play out if Facebook, Twitter, Google etc. were all bought up by a conservative consortium.
    Would we see the “it’s their company, they can do what they like” posts? Doubt it.

    I'd wager good money that if they were bought up by a bunch of alt-right, homophobic, misogynists who started tailoring their platform to exclude minorities etc. then people would leave in their droves. I'd almost guarantee it.

    It's not just the SJWs who believe that black people or lesbians should be treated with respect and dignity, you know.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭kenmm


    I'd wager good money that if they were bought up by a bunch of alt-right, homophobic, misogynists who started tailoring their platform to exclude minorities etc. then people would leave in their droves. I'd almost guarantee it.

    It's not just the SJWs who believe that black people or lesbians should be treated with respect and dignity, you know.

    It doesnt matter who owns them - if you are the type of person who likes to buy <Insert homophobic products> here, then Google will do their best within the parameters of the law to match you up with those paying to advertise the sort of <Inserted homophobic product> that you want to buy.

    If you like making signs and shouting at black and asian people at the the weekend Google don't give a flying fu(k - unless there is an angle to see more marker pens to you.


    I'm sure as an employer they promote equality etc - and at the moment the majority believe in equality, therefore the laws of the land promote same so they would prefer to be seen that way - but that has nothing to do with their core business.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,237 ✭✭✭mcmoustache


    It would be funny to watch it play out if Facebook, Twitter, Google etc. were all bought up by a conservative consortium.
    Would we see the “it’s their company, they can do what they like” posts? Doubt it.

    The web traffic comparison between wikipedia and conservapedia would give you some idea. Or twitter versus gab. Companies like money. It's kind of their thing and Adam and Steve tend to have more disposable income than Bob and Betty who pray to god every night that their adult children don't come home one day with a black spouse.


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