If you search 'Bitches near me', Google shows women's hostels
What's the story
While Google has been widely advertising how maps are meant to make our lives easier, this feature of tech giant may not be that perfect after all. In what is outright degrading, typing 'Bitches near me' in Google shows addresses of women's hostels in the vicinity. Since this was discovered, netizens have been furious at Google and want it to fix it.
Twitter Post
Can you explain this, Google?
Google, can you explain why this fuckin exists pic.twitter.com/w0eslFoVSz
— aesthetic potato (@AHappyChipmunk) November 25, 2018
Possibiliity
Tech journalist explains on Twitter what could have happened
About this bug, tech journalist Prasanto K Roy tweeted, "I don't mean this is Google's doing. It's an outcome of AI/ML learned behavior." Roy added there may have been users who typed the words in the search bar, and several pages later may have clicked on girls' hostel, PGs. "With many doing that, those went into the top 10 results," he tweeted.
Twitter Post
Here is Roy's Twitter thread
+ So Google AI/ML system learns that "bitches near me" is a search for girls schools and girls hostels. AI/ML is doing what it's supposed to - learn from human behavior, however good or bad. AI/ML needs oversight, moderation as it develops.
— Prasanto K Roy (@prasanto) November 26, 2018
Reactions
Netizens are angry at Google and want a solution
Nevertheless, people on Twitter are furious and many tagged Google asking the company to fix the issue. @bosonium tweeted: Google's AI trying correlate on mass communication and slangs. You see how learning nebie child would find pattern and correlate things (sic). While @TheSignOfFive wrote: I'm a tad pissed with the subtle shaming with responses featuring girls' schools. Way to associate (sic).
Editor's note
AI is a reflection of us, this incident proves
Even if one does absolve Google and blames it on AI, the search is demeaning in every sense of the word. That women's hostels have been equated with a slang, speaks volumes about how women are seen. And just in case you were wondering, typing 'dogs around me' on Google shows pet houses and animal grooming parlors. Google really needs to act!