Sunday, September 26, 2004

Goggle Image Search SPAM

Lately I have been obsessed with telemarketers and internet spam. Of the two, I see improvement everyday with telemarketers. You tell them to drop you from their call list, they drop you and don't call back. Since I've added myself to the national do not call list, I've also seen a great improvement. On the other hand, SPAM is out of control, despite my best efforts and considerable expense, I'm loosing the battle, and it's spreading to other areas of my life. I first noticed it while searching for images to use in a presentation at my place of employment. Goggle Image Search was blocked. Security told me people commonly get porno hits no matter what they are searching for. It's safer to block content. How bad could it be? Hmmmm.

Of course, as Darth Vader says, "…let me see you with my own eyes", I had to see for myself. I started typing simple words into Goggle image search a few months ago with the safe search feature on, and again with it off. Results were mixed, but often with the safesearch off, porno would be displayed. In this context, I consider porno SPAM and hate it. I don’t like having to change the way I work because some jagoff wants me to follow his dirty picture links. If I want a picture of a rainbow damn it, I want a rainbow, not some… well better left unsaid.

Therefore, I’ve started another regular post to my blog; the results of Goggle Image searches, no obviously suggestive words, just normal everyday words. The word of the day today is Balloon.

Results:
Safesearch On:
A nice array of balloon pictures, including an interesting rendition of American Gothic.

Safesearch Off: NWS Warning: Not Work Safe

Five graphic porno images were mixed in with various images of balloons, including the aformentioned American Gothic.

Parents: Keep safesearch on. You can find it on Goggle under preferences.