Android's Iris, Siri-Like App, Gives Racist Answers Forcing ChaCha To Make Changes (VIDEO)

First it was Siri and her seemingly pro-life responses to questions about abortion clinics.

Now it's Iris -- a Siri-like application that uses a human-powered search engine called ChaCha to answer certain questions -- that's been providing users with racially-charged and controversial responses to some inquiries.

In response to the negative publicity, ChaCha is changing how it responds to certain questions.

The controversy began when Right Wing Watch, a left-leaning advocacy blog, posted a video on Tuesday featuring Iris's answer to the question: "Is abortion wrong?"

"Yes, abortion is wrong," the app replies in the video. "The Lord has said, 'You shall not murder.' Exodus 20:13. The life that is growing within the mother is a child, a baby. The Bible looks at the life in the womb as a child. Thanks!"

Of course, not all were upset by this response.

"This Droid is as pro-life as they come," Tony Perkins, CEO of the Family Research Council, extolled in a radio commentary. "I guess that's why the call it a smartphone."

But inquiry into the app's opinions on sensitive subjects didn't end there.

Gizmodo's Jesus Diaz followed up on Wednesday morning, asking the application "Are whites superior to blacks?"

"Whites are NOT superior to blacks. Just different. Like Dr Verwoerd and the original, genuine policy of apartheid always said," Iris answered, referring to Hendrik Verwoerd, a former prime minister of South Africa who is considered the architect of apartheid in that country.

But just hours after the Gizmodo article, the answers to these and similar questions changed to more neutral responses.

Shawn Schwegman, the chief marketing officer of ChaCha, told The Huffington Post that after seeing the Gizmodo article, the company began taking "a closer look" at its system.

"We not only reviewed the questions and answers, and cleaned up any answers, but we are also putting tighter restrictions on how guides can answer those questions," Schwegman said in a telephone interview. He added that guides are also getting additional training on how to answer certain types of questions.

ChaCha, which is touted in company press materials as "the world's most popular real-time Q&A service," pays around 60,000 "guides" between 2 and 20 cents per question to answer inquiries. Schwegman said that there are an additional 120,000 guides, passionate about certain topics, who answer questions for free.

Schwegman said that the service answers between 3 and 4 million questions each day and has answered some two billion questions to date.

Siri, on the other hand, answers questions using WolframAlpha and other algorithmic or empirical data from Google or your own iPhone, The Verge notes.

Schwegman drew a distinction between fact-based questions, like "why is the sky blue?" and questions with opinionated answers, like "Does God exist?"

"ChaCha is not presented as 100 percent [true] ... to have all the correct answers," Schwegman cautioned. "We're really an entertainment service ... don't take everything we say as gospel."

In a later interview, he likened the service to a Magic 8 Ball, particularly when a user asks an question that elicits an opinion.

But Schwegman's response contrasts with a press release issued earlier this year announcing the partnership between Dexetra, the company that developed Iris, and ChaCha.

"This partnership represents a milestone in voice search by expediting the process and providing quick, reliable answers," the release said.

And while "the cleanup process has started," there was still at least one ridiculous answer to a question as of Wednesday afternoon.

"Why are Jews so greedy?" The Verge asked of ChaCha.

"It is said that the Jews love money. This stereotype has it's [sic] roots somewhere in the Holocaust. It is not true with all Jews."

LOOK: Questions and answers from Iris on February 8, 2012, after ChaCha made some changes:

Comments

[obsessed2]

10:42 AM on 02/15/2012

Seriously. The problem is that people like to spark a controversy without looking for an underlying reason for the responses given.

These Apps rely on search engines (iris aka Cha Cha relies heavily on Bing) and sometimes piece together the answer or use some form of the question to form an answer.

Bing or Google "Is abortion wrong?" and see what the first viable answer to the question is literally taking the question into account. It should be the 2nd search result on Bing and the 3rd search result on Google. A coincidence or you think this might explain iris' initial response to the question?

Are whites superior to blacks? Bing or Google the question and take a look at the 2nd hit on Bing and the 3rd hit on Google. Look familiar? Again, think this had anything to do with iris' initial answer?

Is Rape ever justified? Of course not, but if you are asking an App the answers to life's tough questions or just plain dumb questions don't be shocked when the answers are about as intelligent as the person asking them.

As these Apps evolve the developers will figure out better ways to filter the responses. Ask a question today and you will likely get the answer at the top of the search engine. Ask the same question next month and the answer could change as the search results change. However, ask how many milligrams are in a gram and the answer remains the same always.

[Marconiusrex24]

12:58 AM on 02/12/2012

Apparently Google should call theirs "Sarah", "Michelle" or "Eva Braun " lol

[helioszephyr]

07:50 AM on 02/12/2012

that's quite good... enjoyed it!

[obsessed2]

10:50 AM on 02/15/2012

Bing or Google "Is abortion wrong?" and see what the first viable answer to the question is literally taking the question into account. It should be the 2nd search result on Bing and the 3rd search result on Google. Think this might explain iris' initial response to the question? If you are asking an App the answers to life's tough questions or just plain dumb questions don't be shocked when the answers are about as intelligent as the person asking them.

[psnyder325]

02:20 PM on 02/11/2012

This is just one more example of the creep of right-wing opinions into every aspect of American life, even though the majority of Americans do not believe in those opinions. It is a classical propaganda campaign, as Germany and Russia and all other totalitarian states have practiced. It has been almost 40 years since Roe v Wade and the anti-abortion (they AREN'T "pro-life," as they couldn't care less about a baby, just a fetus...) groups are STILL agitating and protesting. Reasonable, rational people need to be constantly vigilant and push back HARD against these superstitious and oppressive groups. THEY want to tell us how to live our lives. WE just want to be left alone in our personal lives to make our PERSONAL choices without THEIR interference. Our right to be left alone to make our personal medical, sexual and partner choices SHOULD be pretty absolute so long as we're talking about consenting adults. But they CONTINUALLY want to cram their belief system down our throats until we choke on it. Stay in our little churches, Christians, and worship your spoiled-brat god and leave us alone!

[obsessed2]

10:44 AM on 02/15/2012

Google or Bing the questions and look the responses that are on top. These Apps are nothing more than glorified search engines. Think the hits have anything to do with iris' initial answers?

[Wide Stance]

12:43 AM on 02/11/2012

"ChaCha pays around 60,000 "guides" between 2 and 20 cents per question to answer inquiries.
An additional 120,000 guides, passionate about certain topics...answer questions for free."

Poorly paid "guides" and unpaid fanatics....

Indian tech support meets Oral Roberts University.

(I'd trust those results.)

[joyz41]

09:06 PM on 02/10/2012

Funny, I could not respond to a comment because it was "pending" though it was written hours ago.

Dim: God sees unborn children as people.

Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."

Misquoting or misstating a source without careful analysis is irresponsible and/or dishonest.

[Wide Stance]

08:00 PM on 02/10/2012

This is why Google will never make a successful knockoff of Siri. This isn't just some cute "glitch," it's propaganda:

"The Lord has said, 'You shall not murder.' Exodus 20:13. The life that is growing within the mother is a child, a baby. The Bible looks at the life in the womb as a child. Thanks!"

Thanks?

For Google to allow such an app on their system is negligent at best.

[MichaelAKD]

05:06 PM on 02/10/2012

as for android apps, they are developed by individuals in an open environment unlike that which exists for apps developed for apple products. as such it is up to end users to be vigilant and if an app offends, delete it and comment so other users know before they download what to expect.

[caland]

03:48 PM on 02/10/2012

The Bible only supports the murder of LIVING children - Psalms 137:9 "Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones"

[M33TBallz]

03:48 PM on 02/10/2012

If you are asking your telephone questions of morality you deserve what you get in response.

[Matt Chernesky]

03:31 PM on 02/10/2012

"The Lord has said, 'You shall not murder.' Exodus 20:13."

I wonder if conservatives use this line in their attacks against the death penalty.

Oh, wait ...

[jojofrance]

03:43 PM on 02/10/2012

Or in warfare. Oh, that's right. Nobody dies and everyone is happy when we invade another nation or send drones to...what is it again? oh yes, KILL somebody.

["Shan Wells"]

03:28 PM on 02/10/2012

"Did humans come from monkeys?" The proper answer is :

"No. Humans evolved from a common ancestor that was a primate-like creature."

This is basic science. If they're going to make this kind of thing, then it should us encyclopedic knowledge as a baseline. The topic is not "highly debatable," in any way shape or form.

[mazzo]

03:55 PM on 02/10/2012

Well, technically it IS a "highly debatable" topic, but only because those that are debating it don't understand science.

It's downright arrogant to state that science is wrong, when one does not have a degree in science. The smartest and brightest scientist of the world up against a bunch of blindly-believing hicks...no contest!

Science encourages one to constantly ask questions and challenge it, while faith encourages one to blindly believe and NOT ask questions or challenge it. (I speak from personal experience having grown up in private Catholic schools).

[GrammaTina]

04:03 PM on 02/10/2012

Fanned. 40+ years, and I still haven't gotten over my catholic school poisoning.

["Shan Wells"]

04:18 PM on 02/10/2012

The topic may be "highly deniable," but its no more debatable that the earth being round.

[thereisonlyoneparty]

01:51 PM on 02/11/2012

The problem today is that consensus equals truth.

People have no understanding of what evolution is.  This includes those who are supporters of evolution.  No, humans did not come from monkeys.  No, monkeys will not become humans.  No, evolution is not some directed process working toward a specific goal.

I find it sad.  The internets should make people smarter, not dumber.

[ProgressivesWin]

03:23 PM on 02/10/2012

Iris' "answers" remind me of the question "Does the pastor know you stillbeatyour wife?"

[Passenger57]

03:22 PM on 02/10/2012

"Siri". "Iris".
Naaahhhh. No similarities there, move along...

[Adriana Juarez]

10:59 AM on 02/12/2012

Wait a second Siri is Iris spelled backwards...

[Passenger57]

08:07 PM on 02/12/2012

They should get sued...!

[PrairieGayCompanion]

03:01 PM on 02/10/2012

I downloaded Iris,for a day. The answers were too strange or inaccurate.

[bellsblu2]

02:55 PM on 02/10/2012

The should allow users to program the answers: Are republicans overly obsessed with the lives of others and compulsive in their desire to intrude into the lives of others... ANSWER... "YES!!.. "YES THEY ARE....

[MadMoll]

03:53 PM on 02/10/2012

I smell a drinking game!!!