# Can I turn off censoring of Google suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686 "2010-04-19T23:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/1 "2010-04-19T23:46:18Z")
Lately Google has been censoring the suggestions, or auto-completion, that you get as you type a query. They all disappear every time I type anything that could be remotely related to sex. Is there a way to turn this censoring off? I don’t see anything in the preferences page. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/2 "2010-04-19T23:49:56Z")
“Settings” in the top right corner. Halfway down the page is “SafeSearch Filtering.” Click “Do not filter my search results.” Is that what you’re looking for? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/3 "2010-04-19T23:54:30Z")
I just tried “how do I g”, and while the notorious “how do I get my sister to sleep with me” isn’t up there any more, the first 5 results still include “how do I get pregnant”, “how do I get my boyfriend to last longer in bed”, and “how do I get my girlfriend to sleep with me”. I think all three of those could be remotely related to sex. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/4 "2010-04-20T00:01:39Z")
They recently changed how the suggestion thing works-- now it’s local. So you might need to move to a sleazier city to start getting dirty stuff again. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/5 "2010-04-20T00:10:53Z")
> [@](#): > > They recently changed how the suggestion thing works-- now it’s local. I rather suspected that the other day, when a search string for “mac” had “Mackenzie River Pizza” as the second suggestion (which, as it happens, was actually what I was looking for). ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/6 "2010-04-20T00:12:37Z")
So, if you give your sister a mac, she will sleep with you? Tris ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/7 "2010-04-20T02:11:42Z")
I live in a “sleazy city,” and all I get is “how do i get my wife in the mood” at #8 and “how do i get pregnant” at #10. Not “how do i have sex with my wife” or “how can i get freaky with my wife and her mom and a horse,” but an ultra-euphemism search. All the rest have to do with passports and birth certificates and such. I bet the worst search terms are in Provo, Utah or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/8 "2010-04-20T04:10:04Z")
So now I’m picturing this board as full of pervs, _who are also too lazy to type_… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/9 "2010-04-20T05:47:23Z")
Well, it’s hard to type with one hand, you know. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/10 "2010-04-20T12:03:39Z")
OK, a board as full of pervs, who are also too lazy to type… \*with one hand because they’re picking their nose. \* ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/11 "2010-04-20T22:05:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, it’s hard to type with one hand, you know. Especially your left one. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/12 "2010-04-20T23:12:14Z")
Mine said “How do I g…” Get a passport Get a social security card Get farmville cash What the heck is farmville cash??? OK time to look ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/13 "2010-04-20T23:54:07Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Mine said “How do I g…” > > Get a passport > Get a social security card > Get farmville cash > > What the heck is farmville cash??? OK time to look Farmville is an insanely popular Facebook game. I tried it, dropped it, and caught holy hell from my wife and her aunt. So I got it back, then dropped it again because I don’t feel like putting the time into it to excel. ---
**Author:** ![Eleasarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/779978/32.png) [@Eleasarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleasarian)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/14 "2010-04-21T01:45:46Z")
It’s seems to be influenced by what you’ve searched before, as well. “How do I g…” How do I get there How do I get an abn number How do I get a tax file number How do I get a passport How do I get ringtones on my iphone How do I get you alone :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/15 "2010-04-21T02:40:23Z")
Yeah, it’s eerie… “How do I g…” gives me: How do I get off this laptop How do I get off my butt How do I get out of the house How do I get a life How do I get away from a time-sucking message board How do I go from GQ to The Pit How do I google “Google Suggestions” ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/16 "2010-04-21T03:39:58Z")
Mine: How do I get a passport How do I get a new Social Security card How do I get a copy of my birth certificate How do I get pregnant How do I get my wife to swing How do I get to Dalaran How do I get farmville cash How do I get a girl to like me How do I get a guy to like me How do I get wifi on my ipod touch ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/17 "2010-04-23T03:12:27Z")
Searching for ‘how do I’ How do I get a passport How do I find my IP address How do I know if I’m pregnant How do I love thee How do I delete my facebook account How do I get on myspace at school How do I download youtube videos How do I look How do I apply for food stamps in Florida How do I delete my Myspace So I have a lot of poor, romantic, social-networked, world-travelers in my area apparently. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/18 "2010-04-23T03:41:26Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Mine: > > How do I get a passport > … > How do I get my wife to swing > … Google’s algorithms are secret, I guess, but do depend on geography. My results were identical to **Polycarp** ’s _except_ that I wasn’t offered the choice of a swinging wife. Polycarp, do you live near me, and if so, is your province livelier than mine? 😃 (Instead of the “wife to swing” I got “how do i get on myspace at school”. Changing “moderate filtering” to “no filtering” had little effect. My daughter chats a lot on this machine; is that the reason I’m assumed to be schooler instead of swinging husband?) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-turn-off-censoring-of-google-suggestions/536686/19 "2010-04-23T04:53:16Z")
how do I get to dalaran Where the fuck is Dalaran? Also, I could have told them how to get ink out of clothes. And get a divorce in South Carolina. They should have come down to their local public library. ETA post Wikipedia - Seriously? It’s a World of Warcraft thing? Jesus fuck, the weather is beautiful out there, losers! It’s like when you see those local favorites on Netflix and find out that everybody you see every day loves Tyler Perry and terrible comedians.