Report: Google Keywords Linked 'Black Girls,' Other Ethnicity-Based Searches to Porn

Report: Google Keywords Linked 'Black Girls,' Other Ethnicity-Based Searches to Porn

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Following an inquiry by tech journalism nonprofit The Markup, Google appears to have blocked its Keywords Planner product from delivering porn-related keyword suggestions for searches combining some races and ethnicities with the words “boys” or “girls.”

The change occurred after The Markup examined the tech giant’s Keywords Planner, a tool intended to help advertisers choose which search terms to associate with their ads.

When The Markup entered certain searches into Keywords Planner, they found it “offered hundreds of keyword suggestions related to ‘Black girls,’ ‘Latina girls,’ and ‘Asian girls’ — the majority of them pornographic.”

According to The Markup, “searches in the keyword planner for ‘boys’ of those same ethnicities also primarily returned suggestions related to pornography,” but “searches for ‘White girls’ and ‘White boys,’ however, returned no suggested terms at all.”

Shortly after The Markup contacted Google for comment, no results from terms combining a race or ethnicity with either “boys” or “girls” were returned by Keyword Planner.

'The Language is Offensive'

“The language that surfaced in the keyword planning tool is offensive and while we use filters to block these kinds of terms from appearing, it did not work as intended in this instance,” Google spokesperson Suzanne Blackburn told The Markup. “We’ve removed these terms from the tool and are looking into how we stop this from happening again.”

The Markup concluded that, until Google was asked to comment on the situation, the company's systems “contained a racial bias that equated people of color with objectified sexualization while exempting white people from any associations whatsoever.”

In addition, the reporters found that, by not offering alternative, non-pornographic suggestions, the system “made it more difficult for marketers attempting to reach young Black, Latinx and Asian people with products and services relating to other aspects of their lives.”

According to The Markup, entering “Black girls” into Google's Keyword Planner returned 435 suggested terms, and Google's own porn filter flagged 203 of those as “adult ideas.”

“While exactly how Google defines an ‘adult idea’ is unclear, the filtering suggests Google knew that nearly half of the results for ‘Black girls’ were adult,” The Markup added.

To read “Google Ad Portal Equated ‘Black Girls’ with Porn,” visit The Markup.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Age Verification Watch: Michigan Joins the AV Club, Some Laws Just Make No Sense

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Free Speech Groups Back SCOTUS Appeal of Georgia Strip Club Tax

Two civil liberties organizations filed an amicus brief Tuesday supporting a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal in a case involving whether a tax specifically aimed at adult entertainment establishments violates the First Amendment.

Creator Networking App 'Plaiir' Launches

Plaiir, a mobile networking app for creators, has officially launched.

North Dakota House Committee Questions Anti-Porn 'Public Health Hazard' Claim

The North Dakota House of Representatives Education Committee on Monday amended a resolution that would have recognized pornography as a “public health hazard,” instead replacing that language with a call for further study into whether such a designation is appropriate.

Adult Site Broker Relaunches Site

Adult Site Broker has relaunched its website with several updates.

Show More