Blackbird – A browser for the African American community
Dec 09
The browser wars have reached a new level…
“Blackbird is a web browser for the African American community. Blackbird was developed by a team of African Americans to allow you to connect to what’s going on in the African American community….Because we know that 85% of African Americans prefer online news information from the Black perspective.”
Um….Nevermind, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself on this one.
Dec 09 at 09:49
The TechCrunch review for anyone who is interested: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/08/blackbird-is-a-custom-browser-for-african-americans-built-on-top-of-mozilla/
Dec 09 at 10:59
Seems that most, really, all of the comments are about race, and whether it’s fair/appropriate to target a race in their marketing. The discussion about it is pointless. Seems to me, it’s capitalism, and a way for them to target a specific demographic. Maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t.
Here’s my question: is it any different than a browser targeted at canoe racers, with a custom news ticker with canoe and kayak news?
Is it any different than a browser targeted at women? Women do make up the majority of the population in the US last time I checked.
Is it ok to market to a minority? Is it ok to market specifically to the majority (women)?
Dec 09 at 11:12
I’d say it’s absolutely ok to market to whomever you please, as long as you’re not actively marketing against any other group in the process.
Dec 09 at 12:08
Still waiting for the browser that tailors the online experience to the unique perspective of the professional juggler.
Dec 09 at 13:56
Well, I actually think to argue whether or not something is “ok” is kind of pointless since “ok” is subjective. I mean, who really determines “ok?” The individual, the government, religion, Mom?
I think the real question is does it make sense to racially stereotype a users browsing experience? Do black people really search differently than whites, hispanics and asians? Are the differences actually related to race and not to other issues such as user experience? If so, then does it makes sense to make a bunch of niche, racially segregated browsers? Would the internet as a whole, and access to information be enhanced if there were a white browser, a black browser, a hispanic browser, etc?
The major search engines all offer some level of customized search already, be it a customizable search results page, preferences based on search history, or simply a customized home page or feed reader. What benefit does a racially targeted search engine offer over this? Or is the real issue that people of certain races don’t know how to use these tools?
I think those are the important questions to ask.
If I’m a hobbyist and I like canoes, and I download a canoe browser, then the only assumption made about me is that I like canoes.
I think that is strikingly different from offering a browser experience based on racial stereotypes or assumptions.
Dec 09 at 15:34
I guess the success or failure of this browser will answer that question.
Dec 10 at 08:52
Yeah, if it does see success, then that could make things interesting. I can see a whole new world of SEO opening up…
Dec 11 at 14:49
I’m totally missing the point of market-specific browsers. I can market a special TV to a minority too, but it’s not going to make Rush Limbaugh look/sound any different. What next… Gay Photoshop?
Dec 11 at 15:01
And as a follow-up comment from a web-developer perspective… what do targeted browsers mean for our testing cycle? If we only test on “mainstream” browsers like IE and FF are we guilty of discrimination? Not to mention re-opening the just-barely-closed “This site best viewed with…” can of worms.
Dec 11 at 15:29
Hahaha. It means a new disclaimer: “this site best viewed by…”