Two aspects of this story regarding Microsoft's Bing search engine are of interest. One is the self-imposed double standard: would Microsoft disallow searches on "rude" words for any other place on the planet? The other is the political and ethical precedent it sets: if they self-censor on this, what else will they censor, especially if they are that inclined to cater to Sharia-minded countries? Microsoft does call Bing a "decision engine," but this is not likely the meaning the ad campaign was going for.
Or, as was the case with Google, will this be papered over as some kind of "bug?"
"Microsoft's Bing filters 'rude' keywords in Arabic countries," from France 24, March 11:
Microsoft's search engine "Bing" filters out sexually explicit keywords in Arab countries, the Open Net Initiative (ONI) has claimed in a report.
The American research organisation said in a report published at the beginning of March that out of a hundred words with sexual connotations, 20 were blocked.
The inquiry was carried out in four Arabic countries - Algeria, Libya, Jordan and the UAE - leading the report's authors to conclude that the filtering applied to "Middle Eastern countries in general". [...]
Click the link to the article if you're curious about which words were blocked. Some are anatomical, some are bawdy, some are rather innocent: evidently you can't search on "kiss."
The blocks only apply when users in Arab countries search on the Arabic version of the "Bing" site.
By navigating to the US version in English, for example, users in Arabic countries can look up "rude" words with impunity.
'Safe search'
Microsoft has not clarified whether the filtering was on the initiative of the company itself, or because of requests from Arabic governments.
But the ONI suggested it was highly unlikely the filters were driven by individual Arab countries' laws.
"It is interesting that Microsoft's implementation of this type of wholesale social content censorship for the entire 'Arabian countries' region is in fact not being practiced by many of the Arab governments," the report said.
Google as well as other search engines including Yahoo! and Ask.com that are available in the Arab world do not impose any such censorship.
Well oil beef hooked..Their dictaorship.Their loss.
... if they self-censor on this, what else will they censor...
Self-censorship is all about us. It's by far the most effective tool in the Opinion Programmer's toolkit, especially cuz it's free to operate and easy to administer.
*** 92:8 ***
Moslems are a dissolute people when it comes to sex. The Koran and Hadiths are all about sex. Mohammed was a very sexy guy who had a whole lotta sex, some good some not so much. If you're a human male homosexual, what better place to be than in a major Moslem city? Moslem Males hate women so where to turn. It's what Bob Dylan said: Turn turn turn.
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. Romans 16:16
Supplementary on Google's self-censorship and dhimmitude:
"Bing filters out offensive words in Arab countries"
http://www.itproportal.com/portal/news/article/2010/3/9/bing-filters-out-offensive-words-arab-countries/
This self-censorship applies to Microsoft and Google. How long before words like 'Islamic jihadists' are censored/ filtered away?
Sex - Censorship - Gender apartheid - ignorance about sex - disease - the end of Islam as a destructive force.
That's the way I see it, based on my experience of having lived in Saudi Arabia during the 1990s.
Sex is such a taboo subject in Islamic societies that there is absolutely zero public information about the dangers of HIV and AIDS. Also, the gender apartheid structure of society means that homosexuality is rampant among the men. I became aware of just how widespread it is after living among the Arabs and the Asians. (I did not live in a western compound with 60 TV channels and no contact with the Arabs.)
The lack of government programs to educate people has resulted in complete misunderstandings about how the disease is transmitted. One Arab, who lived in the block where I lived, told me that he only had sex with clean women, and so was safe from sexually transmitted diseases. I explained to him that washing a lot has nothing to do with stopping AIDS. He looked a little taken aback and then said: 'But they are healthy. Not sick' I gave up.
Multiply this this ignorance in the millions across the Middle East and beyond and you'll see what I mean.
The upshot is that Islamic societies that do not have a transparent public dialogue about sex and personal sexual behavior are just asking for trouble. I believe that AIDS is in the process of exploding in Islamic societies. Of course, that will slow them up on their world takeover agenda. It may even bring it to a grinding halt. I honestly believe the AIDS problem may grow to biblical proportions.
Well, the seven plagues of Egypt saved a people before. Why not just one really bad plague to save us?
This is why I use Apple computers.
"I believe that AIDS is in the process of exploding in Islamic societies. Of course, that will slow them up on their world takeover agenda. It may even bring it to a grinding halt. I honestly believe the AIDS problem may grow to biblical proportions.
Well, the seven plagues of Egypt saved a people before. Why not just one really bad plague to save us?"
It could be the answer to the colossal problem we face - too many Muslims, too much Islam, i.e. the Demographic Jihad. Which MUST be stopped. Somehow. Anyhow.
I see they haven't filtered 'thighing'.
Presumably if the 'prophet' did it then it's OK.
Oh yeah, that "holy kiss" is an example of Christianity's sexy sexy!
No comparison to islam's women of your right hand, slave girls, "pearls of boys"....your whole concept of heaven is one big orgy in the sky. Eff off.
So much for the Google motto, "Do No Evil."
I just did a word search for "Bing" and found these two interesting defs from the Urban Dictionary:
3) Bing: the drop of semen that forms on the head of the penis after ejaculating.
7) Bing: codeword for penis mostly used by a perverted being
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bing
What a fitting faux pas, eh? ...lol
A hint of dissent: censorship of sex-sites on the Internet through portal-control may not be bad, especially if it leads to less virtual sex and more of the other, old-fashioned kind. And such censorship, all over the place, would endow with new meaning, and new truth, some lines of Wallace Stevens:
"Beauty is momentary in the mind
The fitful tracing of a portal.
But in the flesh it is immortal."
Okay, call me a traditionalist. Call me a fuddy-duddy. I wasn't born yesterday. I don't care.
Here's to sex! Without it, none of us would be here!
I will not call you a fuddy-duddy.
There is truth in what you have written.
Even if there is an outbreak of aids or something else, the muslims are multiplying so fast, their population will not be dented too much.
darcy very recently raised the issue of self-censorship and this seems an entirely appropriate thread to re-ask her question. I have seen no answer.
Google had featured it but now gives us a 404. It was not cached, it seems. It apparently never even registered on Bing.
Cyber Chastity Belts.
Forced on the slaves.
Islam is lame.
...evidently you can't search on "kiss."
.................
Why not ban "love"? Islam does. Oh, and "freedom", "democracy", "decency", "equality", "compassion", "rationality", and "sanity".
I'd say ban "freedom of inquiry", but Bing has already taken care of that.
How long before they implement a Qur'an-based filter to keep out search results that might "offend"?
They could call such a search engine "Allah" because "Allah Knows Best". Could be a winner in Saudi Arabia.
Enh, this is simply a remote extension of the "Parental Controls" concept. The Arabic countries seem to want to treat their citizens like children. And the children tolerate it.
{^_^}
Wow Champ! You got me blushing!