This debate is now closed.
Should Google remove the racist Obama image?
Google has apologised over a racially offensive picture of Michelle Obama which came top of its search results. Should Google remove it?
The doctored image of the first lady earlier came top of Google Images search results for "Michelle Obama".
The search engine put a warning above the picture titled "Offensive Search Results" but it has so far refused to remove the picture.
Should search engines remove offensive images from their results? Or should "free speech" prevail? Should the internet be policed? If so, by whom, and how tightly? Have you ever found something offensive about you posted on the internet?
Send us your comments. We cannot publish comments which are offensive.
Read the main story here
Published:
Wednesday, 25 November, 2009, 11:12 GMT
11:12 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 13:49 GMT
13:49 UK
Google should not be made responsible for the inappropriate images that ignorant internet users display.
It is simply impossible to control the internet...
catherine, luxembourg
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 12:51 GMT
12:51 UK
No the term becomes racist when images of monkeys are associated with Black Africans in a highly offensive manner.
Mr Singh, Southampton
Actually the definition of racist is "discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race" or "the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races ". Therefore if a person of any other race than white made the pictures of Bush or Darwin as a monkey - this would be racist.
TJ, Doncaster
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 12:48 GMT
12:48 UK
"Free speech" at the expense of what? Racial insults and things so unworthy? Bring on the Content Police!!
[SchriBlur]
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 12:42 GMT
12:42 UK
WEll, anything that's Obama is sacred cow doesn't it? If critics of Bush would caricature him to anything but a human, wat's the ruckus with Michelle?
Alexandra, Singapore
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 12:15 GMT
12:15 UK
How is the image racist unless black people think they resemble primates?
[Nihilist_Materialist]
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 12:05 GMT
12:05 UK
Google should apologise to The White House and US. its an insult to the office of the first lady.
Okolie Henry, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:53 GMT
11:53 UK
I do not think Google should censor its results, although clearly Google has in some circumstances, for example in providing China with results that censor certain political points of view. It is an offensive racist image, but it does remind us that there are offensive racist people out there too.
[JonathanCC], southsea, United Kingdom
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:38 GMT
11:38 UK
Who? In this world does not depict it? Personality matters......................
Narendra Bhattarai, Kathmandu
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:36 GMT
11:36 UK
Freedom of speech does not mean to humiliate or attact indivituals.(sic) Nick K, Tustin, CA
Actually Nick, if the individual in question is an elected representative or other public figure that is exactly what it means and more to the point what the First Amendment to the US constitution protects.
[caracallac]
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:36 GMT
11:36 UK
"Absolutely!!! She is our First Lady and deserves respect!
Dawn, Greenville, Michigan USA "
Why on earth would she deserve respect for happening to be married to someone who was elected?
She did not win a popular vote, she did not get appointed due to being highly qualified and she did not do anything special, she just married a man who went on to become successful.
To suggest that she deserves respect for this is hilariously pathetic, and if you can't see that then I really pity you
Andrew, Glasgow
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:27 GMT
11:27 UK
Considering that the US Supreme Court has previously ruled in Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988), that such satirical imagery and comment is protected under the first ammendment to the US constitution even though it may be lewd or offensive, Google may be opening itself up to a major lawsuit if it removes access to it.
[caracallac]
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:24 GMT
11:24 UK
Google need not to apologise nor remove the image of Michelle. It is at their own risk to become important persons, some may agree with them, some not,otherwise do not become an important person.
Ed Nagasama
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 11:06 GMT
11:06 UK
Anyone every heard the expression sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me, or in this case pictures.
Nothing points to it being racist so isn't it the poeple kicking up a fuss about it being racist that are really the racist ones, as they are the ones making a racist connection to the picture???
People need to stop being so petty and get over it. Nothing that other famous people haven't experienced before on other forms!
James, London
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 10:52 GMT
10:52 UK
are people really naive enough to want to censor their own internet?
Mordecai, Luton
|
Added:
Friday, 27 November, 2009, 10:50 GMT
10:50 UK
I dont find the picture particularly funny. But I cant see any reason for it to be censored. If someone made me look like a monkey and put it on the net i wouldnt care.
If you have a safety filter on, the image doesnt appear at all.
Therefore, whoever views the image through google must have their filter set to allow offensive images, and must have been looking for something to moan about. Censoring this image can only lead to much more censorship on the net. No, do not censor the internet.
kai, clthorpes
|
|
This Have Your Say is
CLOSED
DEBATE STATUS
Total comments: 2623
Published comments: 1602
Rejected comments: 307
From Have Your Say
|
News and analysis
