​Embarrassed Google apologises after PM Modi’s image appeared in ‘top 10 criminals’ search result

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi started showing in the image search results for "Top 10 criminals, search engine giant Google apologised for any "confusion or misunderstanding" caused by showing the Indian Prime Minister alongside US mobster Al Capone and other top criminals.

A PTI report revealed that in an email reply to an AFP inquiry, Google said that "These results trouble us and are not reflective of the opinions of Google. Sometimes, the way images are described on the Internet can yield surprising results to specific queries."

According to BBC news, “Mr Modi figures prominently in the search alongside images of terrorists, murderers and dictators. Other world leaders on the list include former US president George Bush and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.”

“Other prominent Indians who come up in the search include Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, lawyer Ram Jethmalani, fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt who is serving a jail term in connection with deadly blasts in Mumbai in 1993,” BBC report added.

Google had also issued a similar apology last month after it emerged that searches using racist language pinpointed the White House, home of President Barack Obama.

However, It was unclear whether the outcome resulted from a search algorithm being duped or flawed, or was caused by a user taking advantage of crowd-sourced editing capabilities intended to improve maps with local knowledge.
(Image: The Economic Times)