[frahs]

Well, it's like the restaurant example.

If I search for "restaurants", it shouldn't give me restaurants in Shanghai because that's the city with the largest population. It should give me Northern California, since that's where I live and Google knows that.

Similarly, Google might reasonably infer that if someone is searching for their own race, sexuality, or religion, they're probably more interested in information or support groups than porn. Not that both can't be served as results... just... priorities of what people are looking for.

[ryanmonroe]

> Similarly, Google might reasonably infer that if someone is searching for their own race, sexuality, or religion, they're probably more interested in information or support groups than porn.

Sure, if they have data to back that assumption up. My interpretation was that the parent commenter wanted them to make assumptions just based on politics, which I think is a bad idea.

[2muchcoffeeman]

How would google infer that you’re looking for information about your own race and gender?

Ideally it should know nothing about me!

[CaptSpify]

Ideally, you are correct. In reality, however, I'm willing to bet that Google could pick you out of a lineup.

[wutbrodo]

> Similarly, Google might reasonably infer that if someone is searching for their own race, sexuality, or religion, they're probably more interested in information or support groups than porn. Not that both can't be served as results... just... priorities of what people are looking for.

Don't they already do this for porn? I thought that feature was in place years ago. It's even a minor Internet joke that Bing is only good for porn (since they're more lax about letting porn into their results).

[strken]

Why would that be true, though? Are straight men more likely than gay men to be looking for gay pornography?

At some point you've got to accept that googling "hot teens" won't get you resources on the treatment of hyperthermia in young people.