Google Refuses to Remove Crude Image of Michelle Obama

Despite protests, Google is refusing to remove a crudely altered photo of Michelle Obama that often comes up first in Google Image searches, the Los Angeles Times reports. The search giant said that while it in no way endorsed the image, which depicts Michelle Obama with monkey-like features, it had no legal reason to remove it.

"It's offensive to many people, but that alone is not a reason to remove it from our search index," Google Inc. spokesman Scott Rubin said Tuesday. "We have, in general, a bias toward free speech."

The image originally appeared on a blog called "Hot Girls," where it was posted without comment. Google placed a warning above the image, labeling it an "offensive search result." Clicking on the link leads to a disclaimer stating that Google does not endorse the views expressed by such images.