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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
SEATTLE -- Amazon.com said it has modified the way its search engine handles queries for the term "abortion" after receiving an e-mail complaint that the results appeared biased.
Until the recent change, a user who visited the Internet retailer and typed in the word "abortion" received a prompt asking, "Did you mean adoption?"
Under the question, there are search results on abortion.
Spokeswoman Patty Smith said the automated prompt was purely based on technology, and that no human had made the decision to show the question.
She said the prompt wasn’t meant as some kind of political or social statement but rather a technology issue.
She noted the words are spelled the same except for two keystrokes, and are somewhat related terms, so the program takes into account the possibility of a misspelling.
Still, Smith said company officials decided to remove the question after receiving an e-mail complaint and deciding that it raised a valid concern.
People who type in the term "adoption" don't get a prompt asking: "Do you mean abortion."
The change was first reported by The New York Times.
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Posted 3/22/06 8:32 AM  |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
I first thought, well that sounds right, they are spelled similiar but then I read the statement:
"People who type in the term "adoption" don't get a prompt asking: "Do you mean abortion."" Which makes me feel like maybe it was on purpose.
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| Posted 3/22/06 8:35 AM |
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GenLCSW
Baby # 3 is here!!!
Member since 7/05 21138 total posts
Name:
Genna
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
I absolutely think that it was on purpose!
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| Posted 3/22/06 8:36 AM |
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suvenR
designer mutt
Member since 5/05 4239 total posts
Name:
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
Posted by DebG
"People who type in the term "adoption" don't get a prompt asking: "Do you mean abortion."" Which makes me feel like maybe it was on purpose.
That's EXACTLY what I thought!!!
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| Posted 3/22/06 8:43 AM |
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dm24angel
Happiness
Member since 5/05 34581 total posts
Name:
Donna
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
OH Come on..How can they say that was NOT done on purpose...That was so clearly done on their part.
I hope Im wrong of course...but seems very fishy to me.
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| Posted 3/22/06 8:44 AM |
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luvsun27
Check out my cool glasses
Member since 5/05 8135 total posts
Name:
Kim
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
Of course it was done on purpose...technology doesn't think for itself...it was programmed that way by someone to create a pop-up window based on the search.
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| Posted 3/22/06 8:47 AM |
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baghag
:P
Member since 5/05 10278 total posts
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
Posted by suvenR
Posted by DebG
"People who type in the term "adoption" don't get a prompt asking: "Do you mean abortion."" Which makes me feel like maybe it was on purpose.
That's EXACTLY what I thought!!!
Agreed!
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| Posted 3/22/06 8:48 AM |
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eroxgirl
My Loves
Member since 5/05 15697 total posts
Name:
Rebecca
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
Posted by luvsun27
Of course it was done on purpose...technology doesn't think for itself...it was programmed that way by someone to create a pop-up window based on the search.
Exactly! If it were just a computer issue the reverse would happen when you typed "adoption."
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| Posted 3/22/06 9:03 AM |
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BabyAvocado
Happy New Year
Member since 5/05 17334 total posts
Name:
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
Posted by DebG
I first thought, well that sounds right, they are spelled similiar but then I read the statement:
"People who type in the term "adoption" don't get a prompt asking: "Do you mean abortion."" Which makes me feel like maybe it was on purpose.
Exactly. I'm no software engineer but I do write a bit of code here and there and I can't imagine how it would work one way and not the other. Technical issue my azz. 
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| Posted 3/22/06 9:07 AM |
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MrsPornStar
Partners in crime
Member since 10/05 14656 total posts
Name:
Mama
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Re: Do you think the prompt asking "abortion" searchers "Did you mean adoption?" was a political statement
Posted by luvsun27
Of course it was done on purpose...technology doesn't think for itself...it was programmed that way by someone to create a pop-up window based on the search.
I agree completely!
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| Posted 3/22/06 9:08 AM |
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