Google has issued a profuse apology after its automated news notification system sent a push alert containing a racial slur (the N-word) to users on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The alert was triggered by the ongoing fallout from the 79th BAFTA Film Awards, where a similar incident occurred during the live ceremony.
The notification linked to article titled “How the Tourette’s Fallout Unfolded at the BAFTA Film Awards.” However, instead of a standard summary, the alert invited readers to “See more on [N-word]”, spelling the slur out in full.
The Cause: A “System Error,” Not AI
Google addressed the glitch quickly, clarifying that while it uses automation, this specific failure was not a “hallucination” of generative AI.
- Filter Failure: Google explained that its safety filters failed to trigger correctly. The system “recognized a euphemism for an offensive term on several web pages and accidentally applied the offensive term to the notification text” instead of the sanitized version.
- Scope of Impact: A Google spokesperson told Variety that the notification was received by a “small subset” of app users. While the exact number wasn’t disclosed, it is estimated to be in the thousands globally.
- The Fix: Google has since removed the notification from users’ device histories and is implementing “improved guardrails” to prevent recurrence.
Context: The Original BAFTA Scandal
The Google alert has compounded a PR nightmare for the British Academy. On Sunday, February 22, the ceremony was disrupted when John Davidson, an activist with Tourette’s syndrome, involuntarily shouted the slur during the presentation of the Best Visual Effects award by Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
Social Media & Industry Backlash
The incident has sparked a heated debate on the intersection of disability rights and racial sensitivity.
- The Reaction: High-profile figures like Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce criticized the event. Foxx called the outburst “unacceptable,” while Pierce noted it was “infuriating” that the initial apologies were not more direct toward the actors impacted.
- The Defense: Tourette’s advocacy groups, including Tourettes Action, emphasized that tics are involuntary and do not reflect an individual’s personal beliefs. Davidson himself stated he was “mortified” by the harm caused.