Tech giant Google found itself in another state of predicament on Sunday after a user informed them about how its search engine had gone horribly wrong.
This was after a Twitter user Prasenjit pointed out how when searching for Rajdeep Sardesai’s name, Google was throwing up Republic TV founder, Arnab Goswami’s image. He wrote, “When searched for @sardesairajdeep Google is presently showing @republic TV anchor #ArnabGoswami image in its knowledge graph? Is it because of Image object schema & the keyword prominence in alt tag present in webpage url? Can you look into and fix this as well?”
Reacting quickly, Danny Sullivan of Google Search Liaison, apologised for the gaffe and wrote, “Sorry about that. We’re getting it corrected.”
Sorry about that. We’re getting it corrected.
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) August 5, 2018
In a separate tweet, Sullivan advised Sardesai how he could have changed the image himself. He wrote, “While we will correct on our end, you also have the option to claim your Knowledge Panel by clicking on the link I’ve circled below. Then you can suggest a preferred photo you’d like used, as explained here.”
While we will correct on our end, you also have the option to claim your Knowledge Panel by clicking on the link I’ve circled below. Then you can suggest a preferred photo you’d like used, as explained here https://t.co/UyefBUDHqU pic.twitter.com/uzYs2EdHec
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) August 5, 2018
In response to a user’s question, Sullivan wrote, “We sometimes select the wrong photo, such as if a name appears in close proximity to another one.”
We sometimes select the wrong photo, such as if a name appears in close proximity to another one.
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) August 5, 2018
As for Sardesai, his one-liner tweet read, “Google throws another googly!”
Google throws another googly!? https://t.co/JzZlQ1yo3j
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) August 5, 2018
Goswami had worked under Sardesai at NDTV but since then the two went their separate ways. While Sardesai set up a new channel CNN-IBN, Goswami became the editorial head of Times Now. Sardesai has always been a critical of Goswami’s style of journalism during his time at Times Now or, more recently, with Republic TV.
Last year, Goswami was forced to delete a video after Sardesai had called out his lie. Sardesai, now a consulting editor with India Today, had called Goswami’s claims of being in trouble while covering the Gujarat genocide of 2002 ‘fekugiri’ implying that there was no truth to the latter’s claims.