Request Media Kit

Tosh.0 Breaks Down Google Autocomplete

Daniel Tosh talked about Google and their Autocomplete feature a little bit the other night, bringing into the spotlight just how many silly questions people direct at the search engine. Autocomplete,...
Tosh.0 Breaks Down Google Autocomplete
Written by Amanda Crum
  • Daniel Tosh talked about Google and their Autocomplete feature a little bit the other night, bringing into the spotlight just how many silly questions people direct at the search engine.

    Autocomplete, which brings up several of the most popular terms in association with the first one or two words typed into the search box, has drawn some controversy in recent years in places like France, where it brought up the word “crook” in association with the name of an insurance company. Google was reportedly fined in that instance. In Japan, Google Autocomplete brought up a man’s name in connection to crimes he didn’t commit. Back in March, Japanese officials wanted Google to suspend the feature altogether; however, Google refused, saying that since they were based in the U.S. they adhere to U.S. laws.

    Google uses complicated algorithms to determine what pops up in that search box, but it’s based on popular searches performed by Google users and those in your own history. And while sometimes the Autocomplete feature yields results that draw the ire of some, they can be funny to others. Some of these were highlighted on Tosh.0 recently, including questions about sex, the Titanic, and blind people.

    NSFW, obviously.

    Get the WebProNews newsletter
    delivered to your inbox

    Get the free daily newsletter read by decision makers

    Subscribe
    Advertise with Us

    Ready to get started?

    Get our media kit