Google Photos won’t let you search for your weed pictures, even if cannabis is legal
Overzealous guardrails prevent Gemini-powered Ask Photos and even classic search from returning results for cannabis.
Google Photos, the cloud-based photo storage service owned by tech giant Google, has come under scrutiny for its search functionality. Specifically, the company's Gemini-powered Ask Photos feature is actively blocking searches for terms related to cannabis, even in regions where its consumption is legal. This restriction extends to classic search as well, treating private photo queries much like restricted generative prompts.
Users attempting to search for terms such as "weed," "cannabis," "marijuana," or "joints" have reported no results, even when using Google Photos' dedicated toggle to switch off Ask Photos and revert to classic search. This issue has surfaced as Google continues to integrate Gemini into its ecosystem, raising concerns about the heavy-handed guardrails that the AI-driven assistant applies to personal files.
Interestingly, alternative terms like "hemp" do not trigger the same restrictions, while queries related to "beer" or "alcohol" function without issue. The problem was first highlighted by Reddit user binarypower, who expressed frustration that their personal photos yielded no results when searching for cannabis-related terms. The Gemini-powered Ask Photos feature, designed to enhance user experience, has instead proven to be an obstacle for those seeking to find personal photos related to legal substances.
Written by urgent.news from Android Authority's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
