Google has removed the racist image of First Lady Michelle Obama from their images search.
Google employee Jem left this comment in the Google Web Search help forum…
“If you recently used Google Images to search for the term [ Michelle Obama ], you may have seen results that were very disturbing. We assure you that the views expressed by the image in your results are not in any way endorsed by Google.
As with Google Web Search, ranking in Google Images results relies heavily on computer algorithms using thousands of factors to calculate a page’s relevance to a given query.
Individual citizens and public interest groups do periodically urge us to remove particular links or otherwise adjust search results. Although Google reserves the right to address such requests individually, Google views the integrity of our search results as an extremely important priority. Accordingly, we do not remove a page from our search results, or images from our Google Images results, simply because the content is in very poor taste or because we receive complaints concerning it. We will, however, remove pages from our results if we believe the image, page (or its site) violates our Webmaster Guidelines, if we believe we are required to do so by law, or at the request of the webmaster who is responsible for the image.
We apologize for the upsetting nature of the experience you had using Google Images and appreciate your taking the time to inform us about it. We will continue to improve the product based on your feedback to make sure that users find the most useful, relevant images through Google Images.”
I just want to thank everyone, especially the vigilant Michelle Obama Watchers, that took a few minutes of their time to practice a little arm chair revolutionary work for the cause. As far the people who sent those nasty emails and left hateful comments, your karma deal with you.
Please know that this was not about censoring the Internet or denying any one their right to free speech. It was just about showing a little respect to the First Lady of the United States. The same respect that I would want granted to any woman.
Posted by Aminah Hanan
28 Comments, Comment or Ping
Mozell
I am glad google finally did something about it. This will remain in my mind as a reminder of how hard evil works, and how much harder those of us who work on the side of good must work.
Good job Aminah Hanan and MOWers!
Nov 18th, 2009
Monica Rowland (deltavogue)
Fantastic! WE DID IT!! Thank you for bringing the issue to our attention, so that we could participate in getting it removed. I don’t know if I personally believe that racism will ever completely go away.. but there are some battles that must be fought in the war against it. this was one of them. God is definitely Good!
I would also like to thank everyone on Twitter who participated in the petition. We ended up with 177 signatures and numerous retweets. It is good to see that people are willing to stand up, and demonstrate what can be done once we all pull together.
Nov 18th, 2009
admin
Great job Aminah!
Nov 18th, 2009
A. Darton
It should have never been place up there. But I’m glad to see it’s been removed.
Nov 18th, 2009
Tia
I’m shocked they removed it consider some of the harsh sexist images of Hillary & Sarah Palin on the web. I think with Michelle the image was both sexist and racist it symbolized exactly the sort of crap minority women in this country have to put up with.
Nov 18th, 2009
Patty Jones
To all the women who came together to get these negative images removed thank you! She is the First Lady and there ought to be a level of respect for her.
Nov 18th, 2009
pepper
Yeaaaa!!!! Great!!!
Does anyone know of any Michelle friendly sites?
Thanks in advanced.
Nov 18th, 2009
Gwen Day-Fuller
I did not see the offensive images. However, it sounds as if you handled the criticism beautifully. It is really important to nip all such nonsense in the bud.
I am soooooooooo very proud of the job Ms. O is doing and it is a pleasure to watch her as she moves from one venue to another with such ease and grace. It is evident that she and the President are
working so hard for the American people. I thought the First Lady might have gotten a little rest while the President was in China,etc. Instead, she is working harder than ever to support American families. I pray for the First Family every day and wish them many blessings and the love they deserve.
Nov 18th, 2009
Aminah Hanan
@Pepper Bing.com has some nice images of FLOTUS. I also like them because they cram so many images onto one page.
Nov 19th, 2009
Maggie Knowles
sorry to tell you this, but the image is back, from a different url with different text, but definitely the same picture.
The Michelle
356 x 371 – 23k – jpg
forum.prisonplanet.com
Find similar images
Nov 19th, 2009
Maggie Knowles
“We will, however, remove pages from our results if we believe the image, page (or its site) violates our Webmaster Guidelines, if we believe we are required to do so by law, or at the request of the webmaster who is responsible for the image.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They did not say which reason they used to remove the picture, I’m guessing it violated their Webmaster Guidelines.
We need to find out what the person is doing to make their image come up in the #1 slot and so quickly. Is it according the Google Webmaster Guidelines? If so, we can do the same thing, but we have to know what that “thing” is.
Nov 19th, 2009
Maggie Knowles
here is a helpful clue on what can be done from a commenter at the google forum, benlagrone:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having dealt with this sort of thing before, it is likely due to a high number of Inbound links to this picture.
I’ve dealt with such a thing before and can tell you from experience that you may have better success at getting this removed if you focus on getting the picture removed from the site.
Request removal from the blog owner first (which probably won’t happen as the owner is likely enjoying his infamy), then contact Blogspot, you’ll probably get a better response by asking them to remove the content as it is libelous, racist, and offensive. Be sure to mention that you are ready to go to their ISP and seek to have their hosting services terminated because of their refusal to take responsibility for the content.
I’ve done this process and had pretty good luck with it, it may be better than a petition. I’m curious to see how Google reacts to this though.
Good Luck
Nov 19th, 2009
Lynn
Aminah, congratulations, and thank you for organizing us to take action. It’s a job well done!
Maggie, I guess I’m not surprised that someone, somewhere, has re-posted the image. PrisonPlanet is a right-wing, conspiracy theory website so I am not sure that the admins would be interested in our concern. But as long as the photo doesn’t become prominent in search results (and I didn’t see it in the first ten pages of Google Images) maybe its not worth pursuing. What do others think?
Nov 19th, 2009
digitam
Yep, it’s back again. Are you guys ready for round 2?
Nov 19th, 2009
Bea
I applaud the efforts to have this offensive photo removed but we must remember the “political” climate that we are dealing with today. I think it is fair to say that most people in this country cannot get past having an African-American in the WH. Secret groups and such will do anything to rile up the people! But THEY don’t know that what they have planned for POTUS and FLOTUS and others is already done to them! They speak condemnation on their own heads! That’s the Bible…
There are efforts by extremists to “defend the constitution.” Well, the POTUS was a professor of constitutional law! DUH! There are extremists out there now using the Bible as a call to harm the POTUS (See the Psalm 109:8,9 movement). Do a search. I saw this on the Rachel Maddow show last night. Pray is needed…let’s get to work on our knees.
God is continuing to uncover the dirty deeds of the works of evil.
Racist ideas are being embraced and promoted by the media outlets under the guise of freedom of speech and so on. That’s fine. But when it’s used as a weapon then that’s a whole ‘nother cow!
So how do you fight these asinine and inane ideas? With constructive and better ideas, sound ideas, thoughtful and visionary ideas! Who can stand against forces of God and of good?
We must choose/pick our battles. I will not give my power away to ignorant people who judge me by the color of my skin instead of the content of my character. I will not let other people’s insecurities and fears rule me or my life. My God is bigger than that or them!
And just whose heaven do these supposedly Christian, bible-totin’, fire and brimstone believing people think they are going?
So I say instead of getting upset, we should bring all our legitimate requests before God and watch Him go to work. He has continued to do that for me and I know he will do the same in regard to the POTUS and FLOTUS and family. I daily pray for God to bless him with wisdom, compassion, understanding, courage, strength, knowledge and resolve to do the job he was called to do at this time in history as well as to dispatch his angels to protect and keep safe his family.
We cannot give away our power, we have to harness it and use it for good. Not to be doormats but to fight the good fight and the fight of faith. The pen is mightier than the sword. Boycotts are still good tools for change.
“Empty barrels make the loudest noise!”
Nov 19th, 2009
Dee
Ah, I thought it might be too soon to start the celebrations.
Round 2, indeed!
Nov 19th, 2009
Aminah Hanan
I just did a search this morning and the image does not appear. There is a statement from Goggle about offensive images. In fact no offensive images appear for the first 6 pages. I brought this to people’s attention because I had beef with it appearing as number one or even on the first few pages. Like I said before, it’s not about censoring the net, people have a right to post whatever they want. Just like everyone has a right to dirty laundry, that does not mean that the world has to see it.
Now that it is down it’s important that people of sound mind refrain from linking to, clicking on or, or visiting those type of sites. You’re just promoting their rank in the magical pixie dust world of net algorithms and such.
Nov 20th, 2009
rikyrah
Thank you so much for this. MOW absolutely ROCKS.
Nov 20th, 2009
natasha
Glad to see it removed.
Nov 20th, 2009
Tia
You guys might want to check google again the picture is back….lol
Nov 22nd, 2009
pepper
Well guys. We are just going to have to face the fact that many people just don’t like Michelle. Mostly for racist/sexist reasons. It used to bother me, but now not as much because these people are just ignorant and I greatly admire Michelle.
Nov 22nd, 2009
Dee
You know, Pepper, I can accept that not everyone likes Michelle…we aren’t all going to like, and appreciate the same people and things, of course. That’s fine by me.
The real puzzler, though, is that some are so threatened that they feel the need to try and debase her with these kind of warped images. Don’t they have anything more worthy to dedicate themselves and their time to?!
Nov 23rd, 2009
Layo G
ummmm, the image is still up, and I sent several inquiries to google
Nov 23rd, 2009
ViewfromEurope
Some mental-disturbed people are acting devilish by using the freedom of speech as their weapon. Racist people are sick and dangerous. They must be shown their limits. It is unacceptable to attack the dignity of a person because of her race or gender. And if a person does go that far, sorry, but this person is a public danger and belongs to psychiatry.
Nov 24th, 2009
ViewfromEurope
By the way, I did not even look at the picture. Just ignore it.
Nov 24th, 2009
pepper
unfortunately this story has gained ground and more people are looking at if than if nothing was said at all. More fodder for the republicans/racists.
Nov 24th, 2009
Lizzie
Didn’t know if you had seen the LA Times article yet: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-google-obama25-2009nov25,0,98932.story
Google is saying that the other image was removed only because the site contained malware and that this one is here to stay.
Nov 24th, 2009
Rob
It’s disgusting, as are the minds that created and continue to distribute it. Rather than remove it, I would prefer that Google expose those responsible for it every time it appears. Sunlight remains the best disinfectant.
Nov 25th, 2009