Germany's Former First Lady Sues Google for 'Prostitute' Algorithm: Whose Side Are You On?

by AdriHead Posted 2012/09/12 22:21:28

Related Topics: Germany, Google, Bettina Wulff, First Lady, Google Search

579 votes
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	Team Bettina Wulff!	210 votes	36%
	Team Google!	369 votes	64%

Bettina Wulff, Germany's former first lady, is not a prostitute -- and she want you to know it. The wife of former German President Christian Wulff is suing Google over its autocomplete function while searching, which shows the words "prostitute" and "escort" after Wulff's name is typed out.

The former German first lady says she's never been a prostitute but that rumors circulated about her allegedly racy past around 2006, most likely to harm her husband's political career. Wulff may not be a prostitute, but do you think the lawsuit is fair? Or is Google being sued for all the wrong reasons?

NYDAILYNEWS.COM reports:
Germany’s former first lady is not happy with her Google results. Bettina Wulff, 38, is suing the search giant over their autocomplete function, which she argues perpetuates rumors that she was once a prostitute.

38 suing search giant autocomplete function argues perpetuates rumors prostitute

+11

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Mog of War 2012/09/12 22:29:44

Team Google!

+12
Google's autocomplete feature is base on popular searches. Deal with it. Google could probably filter this from their autocomplete, and likely will, so this lawsuit is pointless.
>> See Replies

More polls by AdriHead

nicstr2... to Classic... 2012/09/13 16:35:30

Classical comment from a classical idiot.

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nicstr2... to nicstr2... 2012/09/13 16:37:41

Liberals hate a beautiful woman. But that's good. Gives fat thighed ugly liberal women hope

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Classic... to nicstr2... 2012/09/13 16:59:11 (edited)

+1
Did you even read this?

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onkii 2012/09/13 00:56:27

Team Google!

+5
It's not Google's fault that these results come up. The most-searched key words are the things that pop up, Google has little to no control over that, so I don't know why this woman is getting miffed off at Google. She can be angry, sure, but there is no need to sue.

Look at it this way: say someone wrote "onkii (my username) is a slut/whore" on a piece of notebook paper, and I went out and sued the paper making company. It's the same concept with different materiels. It just doesn't make any sense.

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Blueskys 2012/09/13 00:52:49

Team Bettina Wulff!

+2
I don't get it.
I guess she really is a prostitute??? Is that what everybody is saying, agreeing with Google?

Because if she is not a Prostitute, maybe her husband should strap on a gun and blow away the President of Google? You know, like in Dodge, Kansas.

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Darr247 to Blueskys 2012/09/13 02:28:54

+1
I think you mean the OK Corral in Tombstone AZ.

All they do in KS is make movies about tornados and rainbows.

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cmdrbnd007 to Blueskys 2012/09/13 04:16:54

+2
Google autocomplete is based on past searches Google does not put the words together.

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Nuke to cmdrbnd007 2012/09/13 04:23:52

+1
I don't think people know how Google works... :|

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Profess... to Blueskys 2012/09/13 13:56:42

She had a shady past!

She doesn't like her shady past to be in the forefront.

She wants CENSORSHIP.

Germany has a strong history of Censorship in the media... look up what occurred in the years between 1933 to 1945... Germany not only prevented stuff from appealing in the media.. they created some of the stuff that did - It was called Propaganda.

I just searched my name... and the word prostitute did not appear after it... so Google is not just adding prostitute for the heck of it.

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NeutronBomb 2012/09/13 00:35:47

Team Google!

+3
Google bombing can change the results of any search

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KingdomNow 2012/09/13 00:07:52

Team Google!

+2
[...]

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MiMi 2012/09/12 23:57:01

Team Google!

+3
Lmao

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Chris 2012/09/12 23:49:16 (edited)

Team Google!

+3
This is a frivolous lawsuit, Google should sue her for waisting their time.

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thє вluє wαndєrєr 2012/09/12 23:37:22
twhiting9275 2012/09/12 23:34:01

Team Google!

+4
Deal with it the right way. Go after the people falsely reporting this stuff, and it will disappear .

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TheBadOne 2012/09/12 23:29:33

Team Google!

+4
When I type my own name into Google is auto-suggests Catholic and Fishing. And no, my name isn't Jesus Christ (though after that revelation, a name-change may be in order!)

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Omni 2012/09/12 23:11:42 (edited)

Team Google!

+4
Censor cows and their hatred for free-speech. Screw Wulff! I hope /b/ makes this a trending topic on Google!

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DemonChild 2012/09/12 23:10:58

Team Google!

+1
Google is biased, but hey!

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Freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2012/09/12 22:49:18

Team Google!

+5
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH... It isn't google's fault thats what people are searching for.

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Cal 2012/09/12 22:38:18 (edited)

Team Google!

+3
Frivolous lawsuit at best.

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Darr247 to Cal 2012/09/13 02:31:39

+1
Maybe here, but - don't forget - Italy gave Amanda Knox an extra 10 years for claiming she didn't get a fair trial.

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Dan 2012/09/12 22:36:39

Team Google!

+3
Even with technology, we humans still manage to make the mistakes.

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Tennessee3501 2012/09/12 22:35:01

Team Bettina Wulff!

+2
However, on the slight possibility that it is true, how much does she charge?

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Profess... to Tenness... 2012/09/13 13:57:44

+1
NONE of us could afford her.

Personally - - I think there are much better looking German prostitutes, who would work for much less!

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Tenness... to Profess... 2012/09/13 16:30:36

LOL !

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Sintwa 2012/09/12 22:34:38

Team Google!

+4
Google has nothing to do with autofill you silly lady.

Those are most searched and "popular" searches.

How many lawsuoits you gonna file now?

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angel face 2012/09/12 22:34:19

Team Google!

+4
People look up certain things. Not Google's fault.

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exhon2009 2012/09/12 22:32:59

Team Google!

+5
If Google has exposure Microsoft spell check is in deep assed trouble. When writing business emails I would put in last names that would often be autocorrected to something inappropriate. Occasionally, and depending what I thought of the person being autocorrected, I would let them go through using spell check as my cover. Oh I'm so sorry, did it really say that?

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The Bantam Seditioner 2012/09/12 22:32:14

Team Google!

+4
If everybody who got even remotely butthurt on the Internet hauled the responsible parties into court, the Internet wouldn't exist at all. There are many rights inherent to human beings, but a "right to not be offended" isn't one of them.

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Mog of War 2012/09/12 22:29:44

Team Google!

+12
Google's autocomplete feature is base on popular searches. Deal with it. Google could probably filter this from their autocomplete, and likely will, so this lawsuit is pointless.

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Albert ... to Mog of War 2012/09/13 05:16:44

+1
She'd do better with a polite request to Google, that being the case.

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Jiorgia to Mog of War 2012/09/13 05:23:59

+1
she asked google to take it down, they refused.
that is why she is suing.

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