Google Now Blocks Inquiries and Adds a Play from a Teenage Girl's Diary Entry to Solve Its Problem
Jan. 24, 2008
Today, I did a search for MERKX, which is the ticker symbol for a mutual fund that lets you buy positions in foreign currencies. I got this message:
We're sorry... ... but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now.We'll restore your access as quickly as possible, so try again soon. In the meantime, if you suspect that your computer or network has been infected, you might want to run a virus checker or spyware remover to make sure that your systems are free of viruses and other spurious software.
If you're continually receiving this error, you may be able to resolve the problem by deleting your Google cookie and revisiting Google. For browser-specific instructions, please consult your browser's online support center.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope we'll see you again on Google. To continue searching, please type the characters you see below:
There was a box with letters in it. There was an entry box for typing in the letters. Problem: the letters in the box were typed in cursive and packed so close together that they overlapped. I was unable to read them. They looked like a teenage girl's diary entry in some kind of "my secret diary" cursive.
I wonder about these geniuses. How smart are they?
I went to the rival search engine, Ask.com. I typed in MERKX. It took me to the entries I wanted.