Google pulls ‘offensive’ photo of Scarborough
Search giant says image ‘automatically generated’ following online backlash
Hey, Google, what does Scarborough look like?
Definitely not like a half-collapsed house — although that’s the impression you would have gotten if you’d typed “Scarborough” into the search engine Wednesday morning.
That query would have returned a helpful map with a blurb describing the region, accompanied by a photograph that looked like something out of a disaster movie: A collapsed red-brick wall, with wood and debris lying in a jumbled heap.
The tech giant soon removed the offending photo of the home after users on social media pointed out it was in stark contrast with other neighbourhoods’ top images.
Leslieville’s top photo is of tidy (still standing) homes on a leafy residential street. King Street West’s depicts a shiny condo tower.
Etobicoke’s is a view of the skyline from the lake.
The juxtaposition quickly gained attention after it was posted to a thread on the online forum Reddit.
Google spokesperson Aaron Brindle said that images associated with towns or cities in search panels are “automatically generated” and the company
“worked to resolve this issue as soon as it was brought to our attention.”
“Scarborough is a beautiful part of this city and we would encourage people to explore further in Google Maps and Street View,” he wrote in an email.
Residents of Scarborough have long complained their home doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Coun. Michael Thompson, who represents the ward of Scarborough Centre, said he was “very disappointed” and “quite upset” about its portrayal.
“I find it rather offensive and inappropriate,” he told the Star.
“It’s a real, if you will, negative commentary on our community and it’s not reflective of the community at all.”
Fellow Scarborough Coun. Paul Ainslie wrote in an email he wished, “Google would put more thought in to what they allow to be posted.”
“It certainly doesn’t represent the beauty or wonderful places and people living in Scarborough,” he added.
Scarborough is, of course, home to several distinctive landmarks, from the Scarborough Bluffs, to the Toronto Zoo and Rouge National Urban Park.
The photo also caught the attention of Mayor John Tory, who tweeted Wednesday that Scarborough was a “beautiful part” of Toronto. “Hoping @Google and @googlecanada will shake up its algorithm or whatever needs to be done so a better photo,” he said.
Tory suggested a photo of the Bluffs instead.
He later tweeted to thank the company for taking the offending photo down.
(Google’s Brindle did not respond to followup questions about what might go in its place.) The photo showed a house that partially collapsed in April of this year after part of the foundation collapsed, according to the homeowners.
The resulting damage led the city to issue a rare demolition order.
The specific photo used by Google ran in a Global News story on the collapse.