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Microsoft 'Avoid Ghetto' App Sparks Controversy

They could tweak it so that instead of it telling you what neighborhoods to avoid, tell you what colors are considered "Neutral" for that area...."In South Central you may need to avoid the colors, Red, Blue, and Gold/Black combinations....."
 
I think it is a great idea for when you are using walking directions. Google maps should do the same thing!
 
From the link:

"Microsoft is being slammed for its new feature that some have dubbed the "avoid ghetto" app, although it still does not have an official name. The app is meant to help anyone traveling on foot avoid bad weather, tough terrain and unsafe neighborhoods, NPR reports. It uses a combination of information from maps, weather reports, crime statistics and demographics to give users a comprehensive route recommendation. But while some say it is an innocent GPS system that features important information, others criticize it for reinforcing negative assumptions about certain neighborhoods and the people that live there."

If the data is pulled from crime statistics, what's the problem? It might reinforce negative assumptions, but the data comes from published reports so it is simply helping you avoid demonstrably dangerous neighborhoods by providing facts.

I do not have a problem with it.
 
Bob Maxey said:
From the link:

"Microsoft is being slammed for its new feature that some have dubbed the "avoid ghetto" app, although it still does not have an official name. The app is meant to help anyone traveling on foot avoid bad weather, tough terrain and unsafe neighborhoods, NPR reports. It uses a combination of information from maps, weather reports, crime statistics and demographics to give users a comprehensive route recommendation. But while some say it is an innocent GPS system that features important information, others criticize it for reinforcing negative assumptions about certain neighborhoods and the people that live there."

If the data is pulled from crime statistics, what's the problem? It might reinforce negative assumptions, but the data comes from published reports so it is simply helping you avoid demonstrably dangerous neighborhoods by providing facts.

I do not have a problem with it.
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I agree. All they are doing is pulling hard fact and presenting it in a useful matter.
 
There are whole cities with crime statistics that could be highlighted using that app.

Rome comes to mind. Ciudad Juarez. Cape Town. Stockton. Memphis.

I'd never take a loved one to any of those places, and many more.
 
Frisco said:
There are whole cities with crime statistics that could be highlighted using that app.

Rome comes to mind. Ciudad Juarez. Cape Town. Stockton. Memphis.

I'd never take a loved one to any of those places, and many more.
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You think Cape Town is bad!

You aint seen jack yet!

Yes Cape Town has very high rapes and hi jackings, violent murders etc etc, but the rape capitol of the country is more than likely Joburg.

How freaking sad.

Joburg... nick name that some people call Johannesburg is sometimes referred to as the "Gangsta's Paradise".

I think it is more than likely in the top 5 cities in the world for crime alone. Cape Town is a heavenly "angel" compared to Joburg

Also Durban is waaaay worse than Cape Town too

When I used to live in Durban I got shot there for bugger all
It is riddled with serious extremely violent crimes and serious corruption.

Jo burg... wow... the last time I went there I remember like beggers on almost EVERY street corner.

Messed up.

Woooow I did not like that city.

DODGEY

There are just some places in SA you dare not tread unless you have a serious serious death wish and want to die.

If you are white and think it is a great idea to go lets say got o Du Noon which is a huuuuge scum infested and filled with racist scum just for example you just asking to be murdered.

If you guys think you have so called "Ghetto's" you aint seen nothing yet!

We have what we call "squatter camps" also known as feaking huuuuuge informal settlements.

Sometimes there are maybe 500 000 - 1 million approximately a pop, jobless and brainless people in these settlements there tons of them all of the country and because of this crime just goes right through the roof.

Crime and rape sky rockets faster than the speed of light...

Soweto is a freaking huge squatter camp filled with scum.

This is a photo of the average South African Home!!!

squatter1.jpg


I am SO proud to be a South African!!

sa-tourism.jpg


I am LOVING it...
 
I live in Compton and i am offended......


Ha! Kidding, i don't blame anyone for avoiding it here, this place is shady :D
 
IOWA said:
I agree. All they are doing is pulling hard fact and presenting it in a useful matter.
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Hard facts don't matter in our times. Ask the cops how well their crime statistics are received whenever they present them. We had a visible minority where I live get accused of racism against visible minorities where I live for simply doing the data stats on reported crimes broken down by area of the city. Read this post again, slower. I kid you not.
 
omnius said:
Hard facts don't matter in our times. Ask the cops how well their crime statistics are received whenever they present them. We had a visible minority where I live get accused of racism against visible minorities where I live for simply doing the data stats on reported crimes broken down by area of the city. Read this post again, slower. I kid you not.
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That's what happens when we live in an overly liberal society. What strikes me is how much racism is still going on and is accepted. Blackpeoplemeet.com completely acceptable. However, if I set up whitepeoplemeet.com and advertised like they do I'd be called a racist. Irony.
 
IOWA said:
That's what happens when we live in an overly liberal society. What strikes me is how much racism is still going on and is accepted. Blackpeoplemeet.com completely acceptable. However, if I set up whitepeoplemeet.com and advertised like they do I'd be called a racist. Irony.
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The worst example is the NAACP. That is pretty universally viewed as ok (not by me), but imagine the outcry there would be if there was a NAAWP (white) or a NAAOP (oriental)...

Or... Black history month, Latino history month, etc. when is white history month????
 
chrlswltrs said:
The worst example is the NAACP. That is pretty universally viewed as ok (not by me), but imagine the outcry there would be if there was a NAAWP (white) or a NAAOP (oriental)...

Or... Black history month, Latino history month, etc. when is white history month????
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I think it's about time this other form of racism comes to an end, quickly.
 
IOWA said:
That's what happens when we live in an overly liberal society. What strikes me is how much racism is still going on and is accepted. Blackpeoplemeet.com completely acceptable. However, if I set up whitepeoplemeet.com and advertised like they do I'd be called a racist. Irony.
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It's because of "multiculturalism". The founding nations and cultures of both US and Canada were primarily european. During the late 20th century both nations decided to embark on a multiculturalism model, where all races are embraced equally. The problem is that in the execution of this, they created a situation whereby white cultures were told that they are "already advantaged" and therefore had no right or need for racial equality mechanisms. Now we're at a point in our nations where perceived disadvantages and barriers to visible minorities have mostly been removed, but those special interest organizations continue to insist they haven't due to selfishness, self-preservation agendas, or just plain old human corruption. I guess they forgot who was last elected president of the USA.

This is inevitably going to come back and bite them in the arse, because they are growing too bold and brazen and because of that, are beginning to draw a lot of negative attention. Believe it or not, there are a LOT of visible minorities who despise these organizations. After all, would you appreciate one of your people telling you that you were not an equal human? Most of the people who do believe that nonsense are either brainwashed or using it as a deceptive method of gaining unfair advantages.

Multiculturalism has already been widely viewed as a failed and unfair social experiment in Europe and we can already seen the signs of it being phased out in many nations there, up to including very blunt public speeches by state leaders to the effect of "if you don't like our culture, don't come here". It's going to take time for the pendulum to normalize in North America.
 
chrlswltrs said:
The worst example is the NAACP. That is pretty universally viewed as ok (not by me), but imagine the outcry there would be if there was a NAAWP (white) or a NAAOP (oriental)...

Or... Black history month, Latino history month, etc. when is white history month????
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What about the MOBOs (Music Of Black Origin)? Imagine the stink that would be created if there was a MOWO(Music Of White Origin)?
 
mikedt said:
What about the MOBOs (Music Of Black Origin)? Imagine the stink that would be created if there was a MOWO(Music Of White Origin)?
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You would indeed suffer. I mean, hundreds of people would write about you on FaceBook. That would be unbearable, I am sure.
 
Gmash said:
Especially not while holding a smartphone out in front of them to navigate lol.
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Funny. ^

I was driving through an area of Kansas City a while back that could be described as a "bad neighborhood," graffiti everywhere (even on the front of houses and apartments :rolleyes:), trash all over the yards and blowing around the streets, drivers ignoring stop signs (which were covered with graffiti, too), large groups of individuals in parking lots and what used to be parks and playgrounds, etc.

Those folks were interesting to behold. Every ethnicity on Earth was there and several age groups, milling around and gang signing and holding their crotches while they talked to one another, etc. This was at 11 am in the middle of the work week.

Lots of cell phones. Lots of expensive looking jackets, hoodies, shoes and headgear.

I pulled into the convenience store lot to get my coffee for the trip back, very mindful of my 357 magnum in its paddle holster, which I seldom think about at home. I was startled to realize that I was being ignored, both going into the store and coming back out to the car.

Lesson? Well, there is a lot of crime in those areas, but either it mostly happens at night or I've got some serious adjusting to do wrt my stereotyping poorly maintained sections of some cities. Why was I in that 'hood? My X2 navigation widget had me there to connect to 70 East.
 
I am mixed race if that matters, and I would love an app like this. Who wants to be lost in a ghetto in Brooklyn after dark? Not me. It doesn't make me racist. I am unfamiliar with the city, and something like this might make me more confident to to visit on my own.
 
ninja_reject said:
I am mixed race if that matters, and I would love an app like this. Who wants to be lost in a ghetto in Brooklyn after dark? Not me. It doesn't make me racist. I am unfamiliar with the city, and something like this might make me more confident to to visit on my own.
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I'm thinking that those objecting are (as usual) being rather idealistic with regard to how they want things to be. It's great to shoot for those ideals, but the real world is full of people just wanting to go about their daily tasks and business all the while increasing their chances of survival as best they can.

The shame is that something like this app is needed, not that it's there. Similar to burglar alarms, fire extinguishers and personal protection weapons and skills, etc. It's been going on forever. You would think that humanity would have resolved this junk by now.
 
Frisco said:
I'm thinking that those objecting are (as usual) being rather idealistic with regard to how they want things to be. It's great to shoot for those ideals, but the real world is full of people just wanting to go about their daily tasks and business all the while increasing their chances of survival as best they can.

The shame is that something like this app is needed, not that it's there. Similar to burglar alarms, fire extinguishers and personal protection weapons and skills, etc. It's been going on forever. You would think that humanity would have resolved this junk by now.
Click to expand...

quoted for emphasis
 
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