Google has launched an ‘inclusive language’ program designed to prevent the use of politically incorrect words.
Users typing ‘landlord’ will see a warning that they should try ‘asset owner’ or ‘owner’ instead, with the suggestion that ‘it may not be inclusive for all readers’.
The term ‘human race’ is an alternative to what online giants seem to see as the controversial term ‘human race’.
According to the new Google Docs style program, gender terms such as ‘police officer’ or ‘housewife’ should also be replaced by ‘police officer’ and ‘spouse living at home’. It is now being rolled out to what the firm calls enterprise-level users.
Many computer document systems use methods to improve spelling and grammar.
But taking users to conscious language is seen by critics as a far cry. Tests on the system also have major errors.
Klu Klux The transcribed interview of former Klan leader David Duke, in which he uses offensive racial slurs and talks about hunting black people, gave no hint.
But President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address should not say “for all mankind” but “for all mankind.”
Silky Carlo of the Big Brother Watch campaign group told the Sunday Telegraph: ‘Google’s new word hints aren’t helpful, they’re deeply intrusive.
‘This speech-policing is extremely clumsy, intimidating and misleading, often exacerbating bias.’
Sam Bowman of the online magazine Works in Progress said: “This sounds very hectic and I, as a user, add an unwanted political / cultural slant rather than being a neutral product.”
A Google spokesman said: “Our technology is always improving, and we have no solution yet to identify and reduce all unwanted word associations and biases.”