Same shit, different day.

[hackthis_archive]

I don't know how many of you use gmail, but those of you who do know that gmail has this little feature where they offer ads and news stories and links based on the contents of your e-mail. Today, I sent ethrosdemon an e-mail about The Roots album 'Game Theory' and the Notorious B.I.G's 'Greatest Hits' -- to which gmail decided that the best sponsored link response was:

Nigga - www.eBay.com - Great deals on Nigga Shop on eBay and Save!.

Oh really.

For those of you who don't know, both The Roots and Notorious BIG (Biggie Smalls) are rappers. So, naturally, when gmail thinks of rappers they think of 'nigga.' Never mind that nowhere in the e-mail was 'nigga' used as I tend to abbhor the use of this word and find is seriously offensive. So, naturally, I think anybody could understand why I might take a moment to say 'wait. WHAT?' Not just as a black person or as a black women, but as a person in general.

Do they do this for Asian people and Latinos? Have I missed something? Has Google been bought by the ignorant and callous? Naturally I went to Customer Service to complain, but since gmail doesn't seem to have a Customer Service area that isn't just 'Tell us How Much You Love Us,' you can see why I'm a little pissed off.

In 2007 you would think a international conglomerate could show a little fucking TACT. Apparently not.

I was just going to let this slide, but you know, my day is already fucked up, might as well go for broke.

The thing is that I really am of two minds about posting this, because on one hand, it's just so fucking typical of American society these days that I shouldn't be surprised. It's the new 'norm.' Everywhere you go people think it's okay to use the n-word (nigger) because their friends use it, or because it they heard it in a song, or because black people use it, so why can't they? Aren't black people past that whole slavery & racism thing? Why are they still harping on about old shit? Hmmm. Let me think on that for a moment.

I don't know if its a generational issue or maybe I'm just pissed off because it's a racial slur no matter how you spell it. Every time someone says "Well, I used 'nigga' instead of 'nigger', and that's not the same thing" I want to slap them, because guess what?

It is the same thing.

Cracka is the same as faggot is the same as spic as the same as chink. No matter what you try to disguise it as, a slur is a slur is a slur. If you don't want somebody else using it, how about you not use it either? How about people step up and admit when they're fucking wrong for a change?

Anybody know of a good competitor e-mail service?

Comments

[1407graymalkin.livejournal.com]

after poking google up the ass for a little while, I found this:

abuse report (http://mail.google.com/support/bin/request.py?security=1&ctx=security)

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I've sent them off an e-mail, too, thank you.

[dorrie6.livejournal.com]

Wow. I don't even know what to say about this. It's kind of unbelievable.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I don't find it so much unbelievable as just another example of typical ignorance seeping into everything.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Wow. Just. Wow. I don't even know what to say about this, because I can't believe somehow someone somewhere at Google thinks that's okay.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there are plenty of people at Google who think it's okay, it's just impressive that they would let it out so publically.

[norabombay.livejournal.com]

Ok. Here's the thing: Yes, the word has uses that are not intended to be slurs. Uses that mean I always wind up skipping bits when I sing along to Jay-Z.

But: The chances of somebody being offended and upset by said word is much much much greater than the sales oppertunity presented. I would have _thought_ that gmail would have a filter tha removes certain words. Fuck can stay, cause hey, the internet is for porn.

But if it went to a corprophelia site everytime the word shit was used, you would have a serious problem.

I think that you need to email google. Because it is just wildly inappropriate to have that particular word on the sales link. I can think of several examples of other words that have the same problem.

Grr.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

See, I differ, I think the word is always a slur. Even when it's used in a song by someone else who is black. The whole 'take the sting out of the word by embracing it' has never washed with me.

[lunais-cross.livejournal.com]

Eesh. I'd be mad as hell if they gave me a racial slur for an ad response. I've never had that happen to me before, but dang. They should know better. I thought the Google slogan was "Don't be evil" or something like that.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

No, I think the Google slogan is "Make money -- anyway possible."

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

My roommate has a friend who comes in all the time and in an effort to talk to me, calls me "Her nig." I don't like her anyway, but it makes me like her less that she doesn't understand why I wouldn't want her to call me that.

Wow. And you haven't choked her yet. I'm always amazed by how Generation Y (said as a member of Generation X) just tosses it out there like it's okay, in that sort of "Let's embrace it, it's not really that bad" way. Newsflash. Yes, it is.

[calligrafiti.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd move e-mail services. How do you feel about yahoo? I've had my fannish e-mail account at yahoo for years. There are some ads, but they've avoided racial slurs so far. http://mail.yahoo.com/

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I'd had yahoo a while ago, but never really used it. *investigates*

[bitter-greene.livejournal.com]

In addition to horribly offensiveness of the ad, and the idea of there being a "Nigga Shop on eBay," I'm really disturbed by what this says about their classification system. Exactly how is google categorizing black writers and artists? Good grief.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Exactly how is google categorizing black writers and artists? Good grief.

That was pretty much my thought. If I put in James Baldwin would they say 'faggot' and 'nigger'?

[antheia.livejournal.com]

I have a few comments on this.

1. Aw, and just when I thought I was gonna make it through the day without seeing something that made me want to beat someone's ass.

2. And now, for the diametrically opposed (and equally fucked) position: New York City Council bans the 'n' word (http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/Juror_removed_from_Libby_trial/20070226-064542-2730r/). *sigh*

3. I think it's probably not specifically gmail's fault - more likely a failure in their software or sommat. If memory serves, it relies on keywords provided by the site being advertised. Which means you probably want to throw a hearty "fuck you" to ebay. But that's speculation. I would have to do (and am now inclined) more research on how google constructs this stuff.

4. I really just give up on society. Bad enough when I had to explain to my dad, who was 60, why some of this shit wasn't right. But for people who've grown up in recent generations to act this foolish? BAH.


I need tea. And sleep, clearly.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

It's the end of the week and I had heartburn before I even had anything to eat. Well done.

[tobymalfoy.livejournal.com]

Not to defend Google too much, because if nothing else they apparently have a shitty offensive-words-filter, but text ads in Google Adsense (which is basically what they are using in Gmail) are usually not created/copywritten/checked by Google staff. Especially not with well established advertisers. So the party responsible for the contents of that add and it's association with rap is the advertiser. Which in this case appears to be either eBay or someone selling stuff via eBay.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that Google is 99.9% likely to not have created the ad, nor did ebay, but they should have a filter that at least twigs a human to look at it.
Google does remove offensive ads if there's a complaint and you definitely have grounds for it.

[lilac-way.livejournal.com]

Cracka is the same as faggot is the same as spic as the same as chink. No matter what you try to disguise it as, a slur is a slur is a slur.

Great -- then can we as a fandom (or society, even) stop using "retard" and "retarded" as a synonym for "stupid?" As the sister of a man with Down Syndrome, and the mother of an Autistic child, I cringe everytime someone uses the word in this manner in fanfic. Try substituting faggot or spic or chink for retarded in that sense and see how people feel.

And yes, I realize I am alone in beating this drum. No one else seems bothered by it.

(here via friendsfriends, btw.)

[marginalia.livejournal.com]

no, you're not alone on that one. it's something i had to be made conscious of before i could remove from my vocabulary, much like wife-beater. so keep on banging that drum. people listen :)

[parlemer.livejournal.com]

That's completely ridiculous. I would think that a company as large and successful as Google would show a little more tact. I hate it when people casually use derogatory words towards each other, esp. girls calling each other "slut" and "bitch." It just makes people think that using those words is okay... and it's not.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Large companies always believe that they can just sort of 'get away' with things and not be called to task. Look at Enron.

[slodwick.livejournal.com]

Just pointing this out, because I pay attention to the Gmail ads a LOT: I know that in the past, when reading email or searching for anything on Google, no matter what the search in question is, I've seen sponsored text ads for ebay that say: (insert term here) - www.eBay.com - Great deals on (insert term here) Shop, or something similar. I've noticed this because I thought it was sort of funny that some of the weird shit I talk about in emails appear to have a whole shop devoted to it.

And it's not necessarily always related to anything I was specifically searching for or talking about; sometimes, Google's ads will infer, based on your text, things that might be related. Hell, I'm not positive how Google's ad algorithm works, but I suppose it's possible the person setting the ads up (ebay, I guess?) indicated that when certain text appears in emails or searches that their product is related somehow.

I'm not saying that excuses anyone, or that you shouldn't change email services if you choose, and I could be completely wrong, but I think in this case, you could have just as easily got an offer to peruse any number of other supposed ebay "shops".

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I'm sure this is a possibility, hell, it's probably the most likely option, because like you I've had gmail offer some rather strange things too. To me that doesn't excuse the fact that some things are incredibly offensive and that I would expect better of such a large corporation. If I'd been talking about hanging up a picture and gmail had seen 'hanging' and thought I might like to go to a Lynching Shop on eBay, I'd be just as offended.

[hobbit-feet.livejournal.com]

The fact that there even is a "Nigga Shop on eBay" appalls me.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I doesn't seem to be a shop as much as I collection of items with 'Nigga' in the subject line.

[amberlynne.livejournal.com]

I just want to reiterate that it may actually be the choice of the advertiser to be linked to rappers names, etc. You have to buy that space and choose how and when you want to be linked. We do that at my job all the time for terms that relate to the sites we create. So, while Google should definitely get your anger for not paying attention to that sort of thing, they are probably not the reason it showed up in your e-mail.

Either way, it still sucks.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

It's like I told slodwick: I'm sure this is a possibility, hell, it's probably the most likely option, because like you I've had gmail offer some rather strange things too. To me that doesn't excuse the fact that some things are incredibly offensive and that I would expect better of such a large corporation. If I'd been talking about hanging up a picture and gmail had seen 'hanging' and thought I might like to go to a Lynching Shop on eBay, I'd be just as offended.

[rubymiene.livejournal.com]

I really don't think this is gmail's fault. The advertising algorithim isn't a person, it's based on what's written in the advertiser's website and/or keywords provided by the advertiser. Google has way to many ads to personally approve each and every one and how it shows up. That doesn't mean you shouldn't complain to Google and encourage them to pull the advertiser and/or add a filter, but they didn't *choose* to connect 'nigga' with rappers.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Forgive me. Keep it in 'mind' not mine.

[deploystarpower.livejournal.com]

Hmm, yes, really. I can't see how Google would dare draw a connection between Biggie Smalls and the word "nigga". Certainly not in this fashion:

"You bought to die, nigga wait, keep yo hands high"
"I stopped trustin niggaz since gotti got caught"
"Me and my nigga lance, took kim and cees advance"
"Niggaz spit be counterfeit, robbery come actually"
-- Notorious B.I.G. - Rap Phenomenon

"Twist cabbage off instinct niggaz don't think shit stink"
"Recently niggaz frontin ain't sayin nuttin (nope)"
"Packin, askin who want it, you got it nigga flaunt it"
"Them niggaz ride dicks, Frank White push the sticks"
-- Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize

Nor, frankly, can I imagine how they could draw a link between The Roots and this horrible word:

"A few stacks be the price for a nigga's head"
"I don't know, who's this nigga that you try to be Och"
"Philly never scared and them niggaz ain't timid there"
"Will have us niggaz sinnin with orders"
-- The Roots - In The Music (Game Theory)


I'm with you, hackthis. I think Google are bang out of order and we should let them know how we feel.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

If I'm following your logic here, which is that if someone uses a word a lot it's perfectly okay to connect them with it, then if I mention 'crack' in an e-mail I shouldn't expect an ad for plaster or for glue, but perhaps one for the Just Say No campaign. Or a How-to-Make Crack guide. Or Biggie Smalls, because he uses 'crack' a lot in 'Ten Crack Commandments.' This also means, by your logic, that if I type Philadelphia in an e-mail I should expect to get an add for the The Roots, because by your own admission they mention Philly, or perhaps cream cheese, because Philadelphia cream cheese is obviously what I'm talking about. I'll be sure to keep that in mind.

[zoetrope.livejournal.com]

I completely understand your rage. I hate the fact that essentially any social progress has turned from something that has meaning and import, to something that is a drag, and just so, so uncool. In my more paranoid moments I attribute this to the bigoted amongst us turning the movement against itself so that it will have less impact and they'll slowly be able to be racist/sexist again.

I hope you'll let Google know why you are moving accounts as well. You never know, it may have an impact. Google seem to be at least a little responsive. Or maybe that's just their excellent PR department ;)

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I completely understand your rage. I hate the fact that essentially any social progress has turned from something that has meaning and import, to something that is a drag, and just so, so uncool. In my more paranoid moments I attribute this to the bigoted amongst us turning the movement against itself so that it will have less impact and they'll slowly be able to be racist/sexist again.

a) WORD.
b) WORD (yet, again).
c) You are so smart. Biscuit?
d) If I could get hold of someone at Google I would complain. And yet I feel that all those e-mails (five or six), will probably get lost in the system. Shocker there.

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

Apologies for deleting the earlier comment - circumstances et cetera. :|

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

No worries.

[slodwick.livejournal.com]

I don't want to step on anyone's toes as I certainly believe everyone should do whatever they need to to be comfortable, and if that means not using Gmail, that's what you should do, but... I honestly don't think the blame for this rests entirely with Google.

As a couple folks have pointed out, I'm pretty sure the sponsored ad algorithm is set up to allow people purchasing ad space to denote the time and place their ads show up, either in relation to specific triggers in an email or in a Google search. I think in this case, the person/group responsible for linking the artists in question (and/or some of their lyrics) with their "shop" (if it even exists), not necessarily Google or Gmail.

In from friendsfriends.

[thecuckoo.livejournal.com]

Despite using many, many Google products, I've invariably shied away from Gmail because of the context-(in)sensitive ads. It just skeeves.

At any rate, if you really want this to get some play, I HIGHLY recommend sending a copy of your email to Google to the good people over at Consumerist.

tips@consumerist.com


They've been riding Wal-Mart for 16 weeks on those totenkopf T-shirts, so I'm sure they'd give this the spotlight.

Re: In from friendsfriends.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the suggestion, at the moment though I'm waiting to see how some other things pan out. I think in a lot of ways I'm just at this point of 'irritated fatigue' as one woman I know calls it, where you're so tired of banging your head against the wall that you just cannot be bothered anymore. Having said that, I'd never heard of Consumerist before, but *my* is it interesting. Do you know if they have an LJ feed?

[moonystone.livejournal.com]

Is it just me, or are people getting increasingly unaware of slurs in language? Maybe I'm just overly sensitive due to what I have to listen to when working in a school where the children (or their parents) come from everywhere in the world and feel 'proud' and 'cool' when applying slurs to themselves.

Yes, it is an often-practiced tendency by minority groups to take offensive terms used to describe them and make them their own. Be that as it may, it shouldn't be taken over into everyday language, and especially not used for official names like ebay shops.

[vylit.livejournal.com]

I'm really shocked that google would be that *dumb*. I'm sorry, hon, but if you find a good email service, let us know.