Meet Siri, Apple's Pro-Life data assistant.

Megan Carpentier of Raw Story recently noted that Siri is having trouble telling users where to find abortion clinics, and not about abortion clinics in the middle of the Bible Belt, or in the frozen tundra of Alaska. We’re talking about places like New York City and Washington D.C. which, as you can imagine, might have a few of these places. We wanted to test this theory out. Maybe Siri just isn’t a fan of Megan’s? Or maybe Siri is being moody.

Know what we found?

What you’re looking at is a totally real, not-at-all-doctored screengrab we just took moments ago off of Ben’s* iPhone.

This is despite the simple facts that:

(A) New York City is “The Abortion Capital of America“

and

(B) There are no shortages of abortion clinics in New York City.

You know what Siri could tell us?

This is despite the simple facts that:

(A) New York City has some of the most strict gun laws and gun control policy in America

and

(B) Back to back, these two queries are—when not being exploited for editorial purposes—likely those of a psychopath possibly hellbent on inflicting violence, which—you may have heard—is a problem in America with a deep history. Not that Siri can pair queries…just like Siri can’t find an abortion clinic in a city full of them.

But maybe this is just a tech flub, one could reasonably suggest. Or maybe it has less to do with Apple and more with the original creators of Siri’s technology—named, of course, Siri—whom Apple acquired in April, 2010.

Why would anyone be conspiratorial of Apple?

(A) “Freedom from porn. Yep, freedom.” – Steve Jobs

(B) “It’s not about freedom, it’s about Apple trying to do the right thing for their users.” – Steve Jobs.

(C) “He even swore in court documents that he could not be Lisa’s father because he was ‘sterile and infertile, and as a result thereof, did not have the physical capacity to procreate a child.’” – Steve Jobs, father of Lisa Brennan-Jobs, a title he denied as they lived on welfare payments for part of the eight years the Apple chairman denied paternity until finally giving in.

It’s not that Steve Jobs—who Siri was acquired under while he was still CEO, not on medical leave, and very much in charge of Apple—had any kind of hellbent anti-abortion agenda. But it’s clear—by his own words, and actions, without much interpretation—that the man was never comfortable with frank discussions about things like, say, sex and paternity.

So, yeah: We’d say it’s okay to have a slightly conspiratorial bent, here. And we’re not the only ones concerned, here, either. From the personal Tumblr of Jenna Wortham, New York Times technology reporter:

If true, this is extremely important. Not just because of the subject matter but because its important to understand that our access to news and INFORMATION may increasingly be funneled through large companies like Apple, Facebook, Google and Amazon, who may have hidden agendas, policies or biases we don’t know about.

Betabeat wrote in to Apple’s media contacts:

Hey There –

We’re doing a story regarding Megan Carpentier’s recent Raw Story posting on the fact that Siri won’t locate abortion clinics in New York City, once referred to as “The Abortion Capital of America.” We tested it out, and it’s true: Siri won’t find any. But she will help you find a gun store in New York City—in Little Italy, no less!— a municipality with some of the strictest gun control laws in America.

Why is this?

Thanks!

- Foster.

Apple has yet to respond to the aforementioned request for comment.

[*....Which he can now write off.]

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek

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