Kolya on 3/8/2020 at 00:32
Quote:
Google is launching a new tool that allows businesses to identify themselves as Black-owned through the company's Maps and Search listings. The new feature is part of the company's pledge announced last month to support the Black community with “initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions.” When searching for a business through Google.com or Google Maps, you'll now be able to see a new badge to represent Black-owned businesses. Google introduced similar badges for businesses to display if they were either “Women-Led” and/or friendly to members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Source: (
https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21348990/google-black-owned-businesses-maps-search)
Blink twice if you need help, America.
Otherwise there's still a great design in the back to mark up Jewish businesses that I could sell you very cheap.
Renzatic on 3/8/2020 at 02:56
It's a little weird, and does open itself up to some pretty awkward connotations, yeah. But unlike the whole Nazi deal, it's an entirely opt in thing done out of pride, rather than a badge people are forced to wear to mark them as one of the other folk.
But now that it's out in the open, I guess we should brace ourselves for the incoming drama.
Thirith on 3/8/2020 at 09:00
I don't think it's just pride, it's also useful for people who want to support these businesses directly. But yeah, it's easily turned into the opposite.
chk772 on 3/8/2020 at 10:09
Quote Posted by Thirith
I don't think it's just pride, it's also useful for people who want to support these businesses directly. But yeah, it's easily turned into the opposite.
Plus it once again implies that people wouldn't buy at black businesses. I don't get this whole thing. But, hey, it's all PR for the companies.
It's a bit racist towards white businesses though. And don't forget the Asians or the Indians. Or those people with no hair on their head. Or those with hair on their head. Or so.
Kolya on 3/8/2020 at 10:15
I get that it's opt-in and supposed to help people exercise their positive bias towards minorities. And it's a cultural thing which I probably don't understand. But what happened to the idea of aiming to create (even if never completely achieving) an even playing field for everyone and removing "racial"/minority aspects where they don't belong? This is stressing "racial" difference in business decisions and seems to do the opposite.
I found some answers here: (
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mlks-content-of-character-quote-inspires-debate/)
In that article the children of Martin Luther King interpret his famous quote:
Quote:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I agree with them that a color blind society is impossible and just helps to sweep racism under the rug. Nevertheless I think "race" shouldn't matter in public affairs.
And I see now the parallel of this kind of affirmative action to ones I know better, which have very similar problems, eg all other things being equal the woman gets the job in all state owned offices in Germany.
The idea of marking up ethnicity on Google Maps still rubs me wrong, but I'm past my initial edgy cynicism (he said to everyone's audible relief).
