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    Google SafeSearch Filter Bug: Porn Found On Google Universal Search Results

    This morning I reported at the Search Engine Roundtable that users have been spotting explicit pornographic images on Google web search for a search on hot celebrities (warning: before clicking, take caution). The query triggers Google to show an image search result at the top of the web search results, also known as Google Universal […]

    This morning I reported at the Search Engine Roundtable that users have been spotting explicit pornographic images on Google web search for a search on hot celebrities (warning: before clicking, take caution). The query triggers Google to show an image search result at the top of the web search results, also known as Google Universal Search.

    The pornographic image shows up even though I have my preferences set to block “explicit images.” Note that my preference is the default SafeSearch setting for all Google users. Any user, including children, searching for that keyword will see an extremely explicit pornographic image, at least until Google drops that image out of the index.


    Here is a screen capture of my SafeSearch settings:
    Google SafeSearch Not Working

    The BlogBryn blog has a screen capture of the search results with the non-censored version of the image for all to see.

    I informed Google and I know the image will be removed soon. But this was not the first time Google found pornographic images in places one would not expect them.

    We found porn on Google News not only once, but twice. There are many instances where we have seen these cases pop up.


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    About the Author

    Barry Schwartz
    Barry Schwartz is a technologist and a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics.

    In 2019, Barry was awarded the Outstanding Community Services Award from Search Engine Land, in 2018 he was awarded the US Search Awards the "US Search Personality Of The Year," you can learn more over here and in 2023 he was listed as a top 50 most influential PPCer by Marketing O'Clock.

    Barry can be followed on X here and you can learn more about Barry Schwartz over here or on his personal site.