# How do I turn Safe Search off on Google? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790 "2012-12-12T03:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/41 "2012-12-13T19:35:20Z")
I’d like to know just how a “few extra steps” can give me the results I’m used to. If someone wants to take a NSFW challenge, please do the following: [ul] [li]Search for “thick nipples” on the new Google images.[/li][li]Go to the u.k. server and do the same search on the old system with Safe completely off.[/li][li]Then tell me what extra terms I could add to the search on the new system that would give me the same results as the u.k. system.[/li][/ul] Why the heck can’t they just make the safe version the default and then _ **let people turn safe search off if they friggin’ want!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/42 "2012-12-13T20:13:38Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I’d like to know just how a “few extra steps” can give me the results I’m used to. If someone wants to take a NSFW challenge, please do the following: > [ul] > [li]Search for “thick nipples” on the new Google images.[/li][li]Go to the u.k. server and do the same search on the old system with Safe completely off.[/li][li]Then tell me what extra terms I could add to the search on the new system that would give me the same results as the u.k. system.[/li][/ul] Be a bit more descriptive, I suppose. [This works](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&tbo=d&biw=1077&bih=956&site=imghp&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=big+thick+nipples&oq=big+thick+nipples&gs_l=img.3...49087.49879.0.51332.2.2.0.0.0.0.45.90.2.2.0.ekjrth..0.0...1.1.eAv0t2I3Ir0) (or is damn close enough), and all I did was add the word big to the search parameters (it’s even closer if you use the same three words on the UK site). It seems to work as Google intended, in that you have to be _very_ clear about your search terms, and then make it clear you want to see the explicit results when they show you the pop-over (which, incidentally, seems to go away once you’ve clicked past it the first time, though it does reset itself at some point). As to why, well yeah, I’d agree they’re dumbing down the options for the lowest common denominator. But they are a public company with millions of customers who may not be the most tech-savvy users, and they’re trying to strike a middle ground. As I said, the change doesn’t bother me much, but I do wish they’d been more forthcoming about it before simply implementing it without comment, simply because those of us who pride ourselves on how to manage these various options get caught flat-footed. Now I’m going to go clean up my search history a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/43 "2012-12-13T21:17:34Z")
Hm, ok maybe this can work. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/44 "2012-12-13T21:30:08Z")
> [@Carryon](#): > > I don’t mind the censorship, but let’s have an option to turn it off, even if it requires logging in to do it. There was nothing wrong with the old SafeSearch filters. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/45 "2012-12-13T23:08:44Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > There was nothing wrong with the old SafeSearch filters. Actually, I had a small problem with them. If I want to find explicit stuff, which I do maybe 1% of the time, that’s all fine and dandy, but if I am just looking for regular stuff I am bombarded with porn anyway. After all, I don’t change my safe-search settings every time I search. As an adult I can overlook most graphic images without any great bother (unless it’s graphic violence or gore, especially real stuff), but it can be occasionally quite confronting, and also interfere with the results I’m after. It’s unbelievable what you can end up seeing when all you’re searching for is pictures of feet. I think this adjustment works more along the lines of what I’d prefer for the majority of my searches. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/46 "2012-12-13T23:37:50Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Actually, I had a small problem with them. If I want to find explicit stuff, which I do maybe 1% of the time, that’s all fine and dandy, but if I am just looking for regular stuff I am bombarded with porn anyway. After all, I don’t change my safe-search settings every time I search. Leaving SafeSearch set to _strict_ 99% of the time wasn’t an option? That way for 99 searches out of a hundred, you don’t have to change a thing. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/47 "2012-12-13T23:42:12Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Its fucked-up and damaging for society and for kids and their minds (how’s that for a critical commentary?) to have such easy access to porn, and of porn to which they–like us–are shocked even realizing that somewhere it _is_ porn. I see no evidence of that. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/48 "2012-12-14T00:42:22Z")
Even signed in, you can’t turn off SS. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/49 "2012-12-14T00:57:09Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Even signed in, you can’t turn off SS. Exactly. Quite remarkable. Google censorship. So, who else provides search engines, since Big Frigid Brother just lost a fan. On the OTHER hand, their mapping application rocks 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/50 "2012-12-14T02:06:01Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > So, who else provides search engines, since Big Frigid Brother just lost a fan. [Bing](http://www.bing.com/) has already been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/51 "2012-12-14T02:06:59Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Leaving SafeSearch set to _strict_ 99% of the time wasn’t an option? That way for 99 searches out of a hundred, you don’t have to change a thing. To switch back and forth so often (1% of the time is several times a week) is not really a practical thing to do. It’s way better this way. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/52 "2012-12-14T02:11:46Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > To switch back and forth so often (1% of the time is several times a week) is not really a practical thing to do. It’s way better this way. Only if you don’t mind Google playing nanny for you, and not giving you an option to opt out. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/53 "2012-12-14T04:05:50Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Only if you don’t mind Google playing nanny for you. Indeed, as I explained, that _is_ what I want. Though I agree that the unavailability of opting out is an oversight. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/54 "2012-12-14T05:16:52Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Indeed, as I explained, that _is_ what I want. Though I agree that the unavailability of opting out is an oversight. I doubt it; more likely this is just as far as they thought they could go short of outright banning “indecent” searches. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/55 "2012-12-15T07:17:27Z")
Apparently, you now have to specifically search for porn. For example, “Lexi Belle,” yields a bunch of clothed pics even with Safe Search “off.” However, “Lexi Belle porn,” gave up the dirty pics, AFTER I confirmed that’s what I wanted. Fuck you, Google. ETA: [Relevant forum discussion](http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/websearch/WIPzdBq6E4Y%5B1-25-false%5D). ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/56 "2012-12-15T13:43:53Z")
They should have an “!safe search” option, that returns everything _removed_ by safesearch, along with a “do you really want to do this?” confirmation box. ---
**Author:** ![opmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9d8465/32.png) [@opmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opmike)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/57 "2012-12-16T07:51:43Z")
> [@Lazlo](#): > > Apparently, you now have to specifically search for porn. For example, “Lexi Belle,” yields a bunch of clothed pics even with Safe Search “off.” However, “Lexi Belle porn,” gave up the dirty pics, AFTER I confirmed that’s what I wanted. > > Fuck you, Google. > > ETA: > > [Relevant forum discussion](http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/websearch/WIPzdBq6E4Y%5B1-25-false%5D). Yeah, you basically have to add “porn” or some other naughty word at the end of some searches now. Do an image search for “anal sex” and you get ZERO pornography; mostly you get just a bunch of memes. Same for “blowjob” and some other terms I tested. Do an image search for “anal sex porn” and you get the results you’d expect. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/58 "2012-12-19T23:42:33Z")
I found a place called google groups where they whine that safesearch can no longer be turned off. I gather from above that this is what the people hear found too. Is that correct? Workarounds are good enough. It would just be polite of them to tell us that some level of safe search is always on. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/59 "2012-12-20T00:30:25Z")
> [@opmike](#): > > Yeah, you basically have to add “porn” or some other naughty word at the end of some searches now. I’m curious how that works. Does adding ‘porn’ as a search term disable the safe search filters temporarily for that search or does it just further restrict the search to pages that happen to include the word ‘porn.’ I suppose there’s a third possibility, that Google determines that a site is porn from context. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790/60 "2012-12-20T01:24:02Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > Workarounds are good enough. Not really. Since there’s no way to turn it off there’s no way to tell what’s being filtered out, which may or may not even be porn. And adding extra search terms distorts the results from what you would get without them. > [@standingwave](#): > > I suppose there’s a third possibility, that Google determines that a site is porn from context. The latter I gather, at least some of the time; which means non-porn gets filtered too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-turn-safe-search-off-on-google/643790.md?page=4)