Google - I sometimes dispair

WTF is Google doing this time?
Originally uploaded by Philipbradley.

OK, now I know that when you use Gmail it looks at the content of the email via some clever programmed gizmo things, decides what's appropriate, and then displays adverts or links or suchlike. I don't really have a problem with that - it's not like Google employees are poking through my mail. However, there are times when this does bring up a 'WTF' moment.... and this is one of them.

I'd emailed my brother to ask if he'd like some pictures of my late mother, and he replied to say he would. I was then gobsmacked to see under the list of adverts 'More about...' and the first item in the list was 'Menstruation Pictures'. I mean... come ON. What IS Google playing at. I'm guessing that 'mum' and 'pictures' hit this one off, but I'm not going to be the only person ever writing about such things.

How does Google justify this? I'm not actually that bothered myself that they're pushing pornography (though this goes way beyond that limit I'd have thought), but there are people who use Gmail who may be a little more.... sheltered. Or young, come to that.

Google - are you SO desperate for money? As a company, where's the 'Do no evil' gone? Pathetic.

Comments

[David Bradley]

Wow, I'd no idea that was a fetish niche, although I should have guessed.

For the sake of journalism, though I did a search on that phrase, and the sponsored link under that heading was pointing to a health site called Healthline. So, maybe it is not that Google ads are now touting porn, but their advertisers are simply using link bait with a porn theme to attract suggestible individuals?

I didn't think porn or gambling sites were allowed under their advertiser T&Cs, unless that's one that slipped through.

Just a thought.

db

[Phil Bradley]

Hi David,
Interesting idea, but when I looked, under the 'More links' section (and the link has now moved up into the sponsored links section) I was getting a wide variety of different material.