Google For South India Masala And See What You Get

Hyderabad: A search for ‘South Indian Masala’ on Google delivers steamy pictures of actresses, while the search for ‘North Indian Masala’ throws up varieties of spices and north Indian dishes. This bizarre fact which was noticed by netizens only recently created a buzz online as well as off-line.

Google has justified the display of “hot” pictures while searching for ‘South Indian Masala’.

According to Google, the search results are delivered on the basis of previous search history and patterns. Hence the phenomenon.

Congress leader, MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor questioned Google and its CEO Sundar Pichai after the search engine giant threw up the images of women when the users searched for ‘South Indian Masala’. Objecting to the searches, Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter, tagged Google and Sundar Pichai and wrote that it is bizarre and disgraceful. Tharoor also asked Google and Pichai to explain the discrimination and fix the Google output.

This has come after two images were extensively circulated on social media showing the discriminating result of Google. The search on ‘North Indian Masala’ gave the results of the regular spices Indians use for cooking, the search for ‘South Indian Masala’ threw up the images of South Indian women in skimpy dresses. In fact, the search for ‘South Indian Masala’ also displays suggestions such as hot, armpit, desi, hot spicy etc.

“That's bizarre & disgraceful. @Google @sundarpichai can you explain -- & fix?” Shashi Tharoor questions.

However, it is hardly Google’s fault since it learns from the users and the searches, data they feed it with. Google uses a special algorithm to throw up the entire world’s results. If someone searches for ‘North Indian Masala’, it would basically display the images that would have North, Indian, and Masala. While the discrimination between the two images has invited much anger from the people across the country who have been questioning Google for the output on the searches, some users have also explained how this reflects the stereotypes existing in the country and how Google has started connecting ‘Masala’ with women.