Is Google Censoring Looting Photos?

Ok,

I've just spent the last few minutes in Google Images trying to find pictures of the looting in New Orleans. However.... no matter what reasonable combination of words I type.... I can't get ANY pictures of the looting that is going on. NONE. I've tried every combination I can think of... searches that have mixed and matched words like 'looting', 'katrina', 'new orleans', and 'distaster'... only to constantly get replies that say, "sorry, your search returned no images."

The weird thing about this is that ANY combination of words in Google Images usually generates several photos (even photos that have nohing to do with the subject of the search). I'm beginning to suspect that photos of the looters are being censored online.

www.nola.com...

They're in there. Since most of the looting happened today, maybe they haven't picked up on the photos yet.

Earlier today Yahoo news had pictures of people looting on its site just to let you know.

The images will only exist if they've been published online. I haven't seen any on the news websites, and anybody else with a camera that's in the city isn't going to have an internet connection to post them in their blog...

Start listening to the radio, preferably progressive talk radio. They appear to be the only ones giving this story a fair shake.

Jerry Springer, Al Franken, Ed Schultz, Nancy Skinner, Randi Rhodes, etc... I have been listening to them off and on all day to get the real news. I have a cousin that is there now. He was in the process of transferring there for his work. His family is in California. He waited out the storm at the NO Hilton and is now slowly making it out of LA. He hopes to be back in California by Friday or Saturday. His experiences are reflective as to what progressive radio is reporting. Not CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC.

You might have more luck trying the news links on google, search for looting there.
news.google.com...

Yes,
Earlier in the day several news sites had photos of looting... so I thought it would be quite easy to find pics of looting on the main Google page (when you go to the 'images' option). That's why I'm so surprised that you can't get any now. In fact... I'm amazed by this, as you can type in total nonsense sentences and get pics.

I'm not saying that there were no looting photos early on... or that they can't be found on the web... I'm just wondering if Google's search engine has recently been tweaked to filter out images of looting.

example of what I am talking about:

images.google.com...


"Your search - new orleans looting - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:
- Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
- Try different keywords.
- Try more general keywords.
- Try fewer keywords.
"

Hey check this out, I found a pretty odd two sided story about looting down there....
According to this site, it was looters galore running out with shopping carts and arm loads of food stuff...

But then on this site, they are reporting that the police were handing this stuff out to the people...

I don´t know about google, but take a look at this...

Quality contribution Helmutt!

It's noticing stuff like this that makes me believe racism is alive and well in the media, and the court of public opinion. There's a trend of backlash, against people who point out these sorts of contradictions. As though mentioning race makes you dishonest, or agenda driven.

We would be remiss in NOT noticing these obvious problems.

I would applaud you if I could. Thanks for bringing this up. Way

You guys are forgetting that the photographer supplies any news outlet he sells his photos to with additional information. The white couple may very well have been observed leaving their own home with food or... actually... finding it... whereas the black guy may have been observed actually looting a store. In fact... my sense is that a photographer would not have described him as a looter unless he was observed stealing the items he has before him.

And it also has to be pointed out that the looting most reports are talking about in nervous terms has to do with looting of non-essentials. In the context of those stories, we've seen several quotes from looters to the effect of, "this is our way of getting back at society" and the like. The implication -- from written accounts -- is pretty clear: Most of the people looting non-essentials are people who are acting against a society they do not feel themselves to be a part of.

In the end, I still have to go back to my original question: Why won't Google cough up pics of looters? My guess -- unfortunately -- is that race may have a role. For instance, if a google images search for 'looters' and 'new orleans' was constantly spitting out images where 90% or more of the looters were black... I can see why the owners of google might want to block such images for fear of encouraging racism.

I am not saying that the looters are acting the way they are because they are black. If anything, it seems like most of the looters are poor and the fact of the matter is that most of NO's poor are black... so it follows that most of the looters in NO will be black (by the same reasoning, most of the looters in a poor white area will probably be white). However, I do think it's wrong -- if this is happening -- for google to censor photos because of the pressumption that most people will make a connection between race and looting. Ultimately, such censoring will only galvanize real racists and confirm their opinion that the media sanitizes images that portray blacks in criminal situations.

[edit on 31-8-2005 by onlyinmydreams]

Am I the only one who thinks its kind of stupid to discuss racism while an entire city is sinking? Is it possible to read a thread where race doesnt play into it? And why would google care about fueling "racism"? Its definitly odd that no pics come in though...

I mentioned race because it's the only reason I can think of for them to start censoring what does and what does not come through.

But... yes... as a major american city is being destroyed it is weird to talk about racism.

Still.... why the heck won't ANY new orleans looting pics show up on a google image search??? If you type in jumble sentences of two or three words you will almost ALWAYS get a picture of something.

[edit on 31-8-2005 by onlyinmydreams]

Nice Hellmut!
Racism sucks,

...

spliff
I don't think it's stupid, because this tragedy may very well come down along racial lines. I wouldn't be surprised if 80% of the victims, maybe more, were black. If some media group decides to portray blacks as looters, and white folks as 'finders' then the reports of several hundred blacks shot dead in the streets won't sting the national consciousness so badly.

It may be in bad taste...

But I think classifying blacks as looters and whites as finders is just about as tasteless as it comes, so, we're probably just doing our part in pointing out the situation.

I've argued with you on race issues a number of times, so I know where you stand to some extent. You exagerate though, not every topic sees the race card played. In fact, I haven't seen one unmotivated charge of racism since I've been here. Of course, you disagree on the relative qualification of 'motivated', I'm sure. Them's the breaks.

Again,

Photographers report back to their distributors with stories that provide a background for any picture. I doubt the black guy would have been described as a looter if the photographer hadn't witnessed him looting. Besides... based on the photo alone... it's very clear that he's dragging much more than the single loaf of bread the white woman has.

www.ctv.ca...

Prison riots

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said late Tuesday that her office hasn't been able to verify reports of a prison riot and hostage-taking at a New Orleans jail.

Orleans Parish Prison Commissioner Oliver Thomas told an ABC News affiliate that inmates at the prison have rioted, attempted to escape and are now holding hostages.

Thomas told WBRZ News in Baton Rouge, La. that a deputy at the prison, his wife and their four children have been taken hostage by rioting prisoners after riding out the hurricane inside the jail building.

Blanco said downed communications systems have made it impossible to confirm the report.

"I do know that this morning we were trying to transfer prisoners form Jefferson (Parish Jail) and Orleans to other state prisons, because there's no electricity, no food," she told CNN.
"I'm not sure exactly what's going on."

Martial law

Meanwhile, local television stations reported that martial law has been declared in some parts of New Orleans, including the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines.

Due to the quickly deteriorating conditions, no one but emergency personnel was being allowed into the city.

The declaration allows the military to assume control over civilian forces, and is imposed to restore order in times of war and emergency.

www.ctv.ca...

[edit on 31/8/05 by The Surrealist]

If 80% were black and died, so? Why didnt they leave? Is that saying they are less intelligent then whites? I dont remember any blacks being told they couldnt leave. What would you take away, hearing that 80% of the deaths were black?

Also, if hundreds were found shot in the head Im sure would sting pretty badly. One account of the officers "help in looting" said that they were passing out supplies at wallmart, but the crowd grew and pretty much took the store over. You see people chest deep in water trying to carry a new computer. Those people deserve to die. They're stupid. Regardless of color. The resources shouldnt be spent to save them. Clean em up at the end.


Someone pointed out that you dont know the back story on the pics, so it may very well be that. But nowadays everyone gets all pissed off if you point out anything at all wrong about someone black. If the pic said white looter, noone would have noticed. But right away the sympathy starts for the poor, mistreated black man.

Racism only exists because people keep throwing it in everyones faces. If you ignore it, it goes away.

OIMD
I read it the first time, no need for repetition in this case. I disagree with your estimation however.

I have known many photographers, I worked with photographers in two separate industries, catalogs and advertising. I can say, without a doubt, photographers are no more or less human than the rest of us.

There are sure to be racist photographers just as there are racist goalkeepers, short order cooks, and teachers.

The captions may have been edited.

The photos may have been taken out of context.

The white folks 'found' a loaf of bread and some soda at the grocery store? The other guy found stuff too, he needs to eat just like they do. Why's he a looter and they're not?

Maybe it's subtle, but there's a distinction being made there that I don't think is appropriate, given the circumstances. Maybe there is no racism being exhibited here, maybe there is.

Spliff


So it's going to be a racial issue before the end. Whether or not it actually has a race component, I don't honestly know. I know LA has a very strong undercurrent of racism and classism. Worse than some places, better than just a few, if you get my drift.



I don't know. I would have. Probably it's a monetary issue, for the most part. If you don't have a car, can't afford a bus, and don't have any relatives to go to anyway, what do you do? Most of the poor folks in the area happen to be black. It would be 80% dead white folks if it struck my neighborhood.



No, is that what you're saying/thinking?



Yeah, but less so if the perception is that they were all looters. I personally don't think looters deserve to die by the hand of the government. I do however, think they should be left to the mercy of nature (she has very little) since they want to play by jungle rules.



Yeah, I read about that. The looters were doing their thing, the cops showed up and took over to try and maintain some semblance of order. I didn't know the looters took over after that, do you have a source, something I could read?



HAHAHAHAHA. Like brainless magpies! "oooh..shiny..expensive.." One can only hope they are forced, at some point, to choose between their life and the object they covet. Drop the TV or drown...some folks actually drown. It's survival of the fittest. Greed is a good instinct, but when it's evidenced like this, it's a detriment to the species.



No, they deserve whatever they get. It remains to be seen just what that will be.



Oh yeah. We're in agreement there at least.



That's not true. It's only when you start treating blacks differently that I open my mouth. Blacks are criminals just like whites. But saying a black man is more criminal than a white man doing the same thing is dishonest and racist.

I call 'em as I see 'em. I hope, always, to be proven wrong when I speak about things of this nature. So far, however, you've never said one nice thing about black folks, not that I've read at least. I think you harbor some deep-seated resentment.



I'm sure the black men who were hanged for sleeping with white women would disagree with you. If they weren't dead, that is.



You can be an ostritch if you want, but promoting it as sensible national policy is ludicrous.


[edit on 31-8-2005 by WyrdeOne]