Google apologizes for a news alert about the BAFTAs that contained the N-word
Business Insider
February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Google issued a formal apology after one of its news alerts mistakenly included the N-word while reporting on a controversial moment at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs). The alert, which was quickly removed, detailed an incident during Sunday’s ceremony where an audience member with Tourette syndrome involuntarily shouted the slur while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting an award. Google clarified that AI was not responsible for the error; instead, a system glitch led to the offensive content being published. The company emphasized that only a small number of users received the problematic alert and that its safety filters failed to trigger properly.
The incident occurred despite the BAFTA broadcast featuring a two-hour tape delay. While the slur was edited out of the live stream on iPlayer after it was noticed,
Verticals
businessfinance
Originally published on Business Insider on 2/24/2026