Voice Search Censoring, how to disable? - Shield Android TV Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello all. I just noticed an issue that I dont remember having before. My Shield is updated to whatever the current official release is, and I might be rooted, can't remember (every update unroots me, cant remember if I re-rooted before or after the last update..). So the issue is, when I use the Voice commands to search anything, it applies very heavy censoring using Google's preferred logic (for instance, the word "porn" is censored but another dirty P-word is not..? I tested a ton of dirty words and it made no sense what it decided was bad and what was ok...). In the Shield's settings I have safe search off as well as the bad word filtering in the Voice settings disabled. I tested voice searching and voice to text input on my phone using the same Google account and it doesnt censor anything... Anyone have any idea how to resolve this? I Google'd around and all I found were a number of people saying they also have this issue, and it seems to have sprung up out of the blue. But it wasnt any help as there was no resolution, the reports spanned from 2011ish to 2016, and there was no common device or Android OS version...
also, JFYI, I noticed this issue by trying to search for SourceFed's video where they attended the hentai convention. "SourceFed Hentai Con" said aloud to my Shield resulted in it searching for "SourceFed H***** Con," and Youtube ignoring the H***** and just giving me every result containing "SourceFed" and/or "Con." Manually typing the word into the search on the Shield yielded the desired result, though... I am certain I have been able to voice cuss words in the past to look up songs on Youtube, but I cant give even a vague guess at when this censoring began for me..

Do you happen to have a different google search installed? A sideloaded version of the phone google search? If so, that has some voice settings too.
But if you are just using the inbuilt search function, maybe try changing language first, to a different english, then check the filters again etc. And try enabling blocking offensive words, use it, reboot, uncheck?
Or else, go to settings, apps, then in system apps select Google Search and Uninstall updates. Then it will reinstall updates probably, or do it manually via Play Store. And try Clear Data as well.
If that doesn't work, sign out of your google account. and last resort, factory reset?

Ive tried much of what you suggested already, but Ill give the rest a shot (changing languages temporarily and uninstalling/reinstalling updates mainly). If that doesnt work I will just have to live with it, not a big enough issue to warrant a factory reset lol. Thanks for the suggestions. I considered doing basically evertything you suggested, but figured it was unlikely to help. You also suggesting the same things makes me think there is a sliver of hope. Ill report back.
So, first thing I did was change the language to UK English and test it. Its not censoring voice search from the main menu, but IS censoring in Youtube only now. Changing back to US English, Youtube is censored and main screen searches arent. So, progress at least.

faaaaq said:
Ive tried much of what you suggested already, but Ill give the rest a shot (changing languages temporarily and uninstalling/reinstalling updates mainly). If that doesnt work I will just have to live with it, not a big enough issue to warrant a factory reset lol. Thanks for the suggestions. I considered doing basically evertything you suggested, but figured it was unlikely to help. You also suggesting the same things makes me think there is a sliver of hope. Ill report back.
So, first thing I did was change the language to UK English and test it. Its not censoring voice search from the main menu, but IS censoring in Youtube only now. Changing back to US English, Youtube is censored and main screen searches arent. So, progress at least.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disable Restricted Mode in the youtube settings?

Restricted Mode has always been disabled. Voice-searching Youtube on my phone isnt censored, I should have mentioned. So at the moment, across all of the Google ecosystem, for some reason the only thing being censored is voice search in Youtube on my Shield... Going to clear Youtube data and updates on the Shield and let it refresh itself and see what happens.

Now that you mention it, Youtube does filter out some words as well. It does show the word titties, but the word fu ck is with stars. Maybe it's just the youtube app?
I can say f you in the regular search option. in Youtube I see stars. So maybe it's just youtube censorship...
---------- Post added at 01:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:54 AM ----------
faaaaq said:
Restricted Mode has always been disabled. Voice-searching Youtube on my phone isnt censored, I should have mentioned. So at the moment, across all of the Google ecosystem, for some reason the only thing being censored is voice search in Youtube on my Shield... Going to clear Youtube data and updates on the Shield and let it refresh itself and see what happens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it does seem to restrict outputting several words in the Youtube leanback app. In any language.
Maybe that's just built in the youtube app for tv.
You could consider using the phone/tablet youtube app. You can find it on the Aptoide app, or just download it from apkmiror.com and install it on your device. Then use an app (on the tv play store) called TV App Repo to create a shortcut on your Homescreen.
Maybe using the full youtube app will work. You can probably use the right stick on your controller as a mouse. Right trigger to click, hold to scroll. A to confirm, B for back.
EDIT: Tried it, the regular app doesn't seem to act any different. It uses the same voice overlay.

I actually used the regular app for a short time, as there are modded versions available that completely block ads, but it was entirely unusable for me. Barely even seemed to respond to input so all I could do was view front-page videos. Now I am doing the four month free trial of Youtube Red/Play Music, so no ads anyways haha. Thanks for your help though. Definitely looking to be no "fix" for this, but...I realized a very simple workaround. Doing the voice search from the main screen by default (for me at least) uses Youtube as its main results source. So I just have to remember if I need to search for anything with a potentially dirty word in it, just make sure to hit the Home button then the search button. I think that is an acceptable option, just not sure why Youtube's Leanback app has the restriction in the first place..

faaaaq said:
I actually used the regular app for a short time, as there are modded versions available that completely block ads, but it was entirely unusable for me. Barely even seemed to respond to input so all I could do was view front-page videos. Now I am doing the four month free trial of Youtube Red/Play Music, so no ads anyways haha. Thanks for your help though. Definitely looking to be no "fix" for this, but...I realized a very simple workaround. Doing the voice search from the main screen by default (for me at least) uses Youtube as its main results source. So I just have to remember if I need to search for anything with a potentially dirty word in it, just make sure to hit the Home button then the search button. I think that is an acceptable option, just not sure why Youtube's Leanback app has the restriction in the first place..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I find it strange that there are apparently two voice search apps built-in. But indeed, searching from home does the trick.

Related

Viral Bing via vzw ?

Having a problem last two days with vzw home page overriding browser/google settings and then forcing searches through Bing. Search starts in google to about 50% then loads the vzw page breifly before ending in Bing. I am on a debinged device and it wasnt a problem for the week before on the same rom.
Is it possible a market app swapped something and where might I look to find it ? No matter what I reset in the browser seetings or clear, the behavior returns.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
A search on debinged browser will help you find answers. If you are rooted you will have more options. But there are things you can do to minimize the influence if bing searches without being root.
One solution that I used was to replace browser.apk with the one from the Samsung Mesmerize which is the Canadian version of the Fascinate which doesn't use Bing
There is another file that will give you google search on a short press of the search key. But not google voice search with a long press. To get Google Voice Search you can install Vlingo (a nice voice recognition application with lots of features)
Another option is to use a different browser like Dolphin (I like Dolphin Mini) and set your home page to Google.
For a google search widget you can install LauncherPro.
Lots of ways to go. Searching will help you find details.
Thanks for the reply, but maybe I wasnt clear. I am fully rooted, running an eb01DB_DXC.tar with eb01 lockscreen mods, some swapped touchwiz and buddies .apks and other minor mods. Google voice search is disabled and everything is set properly settings wise.
The search function worked properly for a week, but something has changed to create this new behavior. I already tried Skyfire as well.
I understand the need to search and I do quite a bit. I just cant find a reason why behavior would change when there is no apparent reason to based on the device config.

Google Now not working - Cannot click on search results

So I received my Nexus 7 on Monday and have consistently been having issues with Google Now. Basically, I cannot click on any of the search results. After rebooting the device, I can click the results and open in Chrome, maybe 3-4 times. After that 4th time, Google Now search results simply do not work (until I reboot the device).
I can see that the blue result is highlighted when I tap it, but Chrome does not open the link. I can +1 the results, and open links that don't open Chrome (for instance, the "did you mean..." will work, inside the Now application).
It is infuriating to not be able to use this core feature. I have even tried resetting the device (twice!). I am a US Customer, although I found in some searches that people outside of the US were having some issues.
I seem to have such an isolated problem that I cannot find anyone on the internet with the same issue. Is it just me? Is there something I am missing? Keep in mind, it works sometimes - so I don't believe it is setup incorrectly. Could the problem be with Chrome? I have cleared data on that application (in addition to resetting the device) but no luck.
ralexand said:
So I received my Nexus 7 on Monday and have consistently been having issues with Google Now. Basically, I cannot click on any of the search results. After rebooting the device, I can click the results and open in Chrome, maybe 3-4 times. After that 4th time, Google Now search results simply do not work (until I reboot the device).
I can see that the blue result is highlighted when I tap it, but Chrome does not open the link. I can +1 the results, and open links that don't open Chrome (for instance, the "did you mean..." will work, inside the Now application).
It is infuriating to not be able to use this core feature. I have even tried resetting the device (twice!). I am a US Customer, although I found in some searches that people outside of the US were having some issues.
I seem to have such an isolated problem that I cannot find anyone on the internet with the same issue. Is it just me? Is there something I am missing? Keep in mind, it works sometimes - so I don't believe it is setup incorrectly. Could the problem be with Chrome? I have cleared data on that application (in addition to resetting the device) but no luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem, if I search in Chrome the links always work but sometimes when I search in Now they don't. Its intermittent and its working fine at the moment. It is very annoying. I thought it might be a symptom of the touch screen not working as has been reported elsewhere.
haven't looked this up yet, but would pushing the old apk from the 84D build restore all the features (pre-apple patent update)???
seems watered down on 4.1.1.
jeremyholton said:
I have the same problem, if I search in Chrome the links always work but sometimes when I search in Now they don't. Its intermittent and its working fine at the moment. It is very annoying. I thought it might be a symptom of the touch screen not working as has been reported elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've done some more troubleshooting and found out it is something wrong with my main Google account. I added my "back-up" google account to the nexus. I just turned off all sync options for it, but in Google Now I set the "back-up" as the account to use. Everything works fine every time! As soon as I switch to my main google account the problem comes right back.
I contacted google support this morning and they are going to look into my account to see if there is any corrupt data causing search issues.
Sadly, I already deleted all my web history thinking that something in there was the cause - it was not.
I will keep you posted.

Am i doing something wrong with my nook

Hi guys
i hope am not posting this in the wrong section
i have rooted my nook simple touch glow light with glownooter everything installed fine however these are my problems
the market only had max 10 apps to install i cannot search to my understanding there should be more apps
secondly the amazon app store is stuck on loading and no apps come up nor can i search or log in to my account
also the kindle app which i installed i can log in but same problem nothing loads
it seems like i have connectivity problem but my wifi works great for other devices and for adb
please could someone point me to the right direction
gt11990 said:
Hi guys
i hope am not posting this in the wrong section
i have rooted my nook simple touch glow light with glownooter everything installed fine however these are my problems
the market only had max 10 apps to install i cannot search to my understanding there should be more apps
secondly the amazon app store is stuck on loading and no apps come up nor can i search or log in to my account
also the kindle app which i installed i can log in but same problem nothing loads
it seems like i have connectivity problem but my wifi works great for other devices and for adb
please could someone point me to the right direction
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your observation about the PlayStore has been made by digixmax recently. I don't have a solution for that one. I still get a lot of (sometimes useless) apps on a search. You can use a computer to access the Store and have the app sent to your device.
I can confirm that both the Amazon App Store and the Kindle app are broken. You can still read local content with the Kindle app.
You can also get apps from direct-download sources and side load them.
nmyshkin said:
Your observation about the PlayStore has been made by digixmax recently. I don't have a solution for that one. I still get a lot of (sometimes useless) apps on a search. You can use a computer to access the Store and have the app sent to your device.
I can confirm that both the Amazon App Store and the Kindle app are broken. You can still read local content with the Kindle app.
You can also get apps from direct-download sources and side load them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh ok thank you i guess ill have to just wait for a fix for these issues
thank you for the update
gt11990 said:
oh ok thank you i guess ill have to just wait for a fix for these issues
thank you for the update
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's remotely possible someone may tinker with the apps but unlikely. You might as well remove the Amazon App Store. If you have local .mobile content the Kindle app could still be useful.
Edit: Could you try something with Search Market? I did a search on "Kindle" and got 250 hits today. Use the menu "button" to access Settings and see if your app filter is too restrictive. I have mine set for all apps, but that does tend to give a lot of junk after the initial near hits. Maybe that's why people are getting so few hits?
nmyshkin said:
...
Edit: Could you try something with Search Market? I did a search on "Kindle" and got 250 hits today. Use the menu "button" to access Settings and see if your app filter is too restrictive. I have mine set for all apps, but that does tend to give a lot of junk after the initial near hits. Maybe that's why people are getting so few hits?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you mean Search Market's Settings?
I am not able to get to Settings using the menu button.
digixmax said:
Did you mean Search Market's Settings?
I am not able to get to Settings using the menu button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. When you start Search Market you get a keyboard and a blank search field. The menu button does nothing there. Directly to the left of the search field is a "button" that takes you to a more typical Market screen where, among other things you can look at "My Apps" for your NST. It's on this screen that the menu button wiil bring up Settings.
I don't know that I ever changed the restrictions on what kinds of apps to display but it occurred to me recently that this might be the issue you and others have been seeing. It's worth a shot, anyway.
nmyshkin said:
Yes. When you start Search Market you get a keyboard and a blank search field. The menu button does nothing there. Directly to the left of the search field is a "button" that takes you to a more typical Market screen where, among other things you can look at "My Apps" for your NST. It's on this screen that the menu button wiil bring up Settings.
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I do this, what I get (at the screen bottom) are "Search", "Downloads", and "Help", but no "Settings".
I am using the SearchMarket version you attached to your post here, so perhaps this behavior disparity has to do with my NST running on 1.2.1 as opposed to 1.1.2?
digixmax said:
When I do this, what I get (at the screen bottom) are "Search", "Downloads", and "Help", but no "Settings".
I am using the SearchMarket version you attached to your post here, so perhaps this behavior disparity has to do with my NST running on 1.2.1 as opposed to 1.1.2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have always run FW 1.21.
This whole thing just gets curiouser. I went back for a closer look and that "button" I mentioned actually calls the Market app (AFAICS) and it's there that I get a "settings" option along with the others you mention. There is a filter in the settings for what kinds of apps to display but I don't know to what extent the apps interact (if at all), and in any case, changing the filter setting seemed to have no effect. I still got many, many results from a search using Search Market.
So I went back to the original GApps post to see if the package had been updated since I did my install. Certainly the file name is the same and the size seems to be the same. There is some talk there about changing the way you sign into the Market, etc., but it's not clear to me when that changed and I rooted my NST with NookManager so long ago (or so it seems to me) that I just can't remember. I do still have the original zip of the Gapps Attack file, FWIW.
My "Market" app is 4.03 MB on the NST but there's no obvious version number anywhere I can see. However replacing that one seems risky since the whole sign-in thing with Google is so tricky.
I'm stumped. As clunky as the Search Market app is, it has been useful to me because it only displays apps that have the potential to run under Android 2.1. I went through many, many apps when I was looking for a sound recording app that would work well and create mp3 files. Using Search Market shortened what was already a tedious process.

Browser Google Search Links Suddenly Redirecting to Google Play Store App Pages

So for the past few days, when I do a google search in the stock browser on my S5, certain sites (I'm guessing only sites that have Play Store apps) are redirecting me to their play store app page... To be clear, I'll search for something and get a result that should link me to IMDB.COM -- but if I click that result, I get send to the IMDB APP page on Google Play... If I hold down the link and hit OPEN or OPEN IN NEW TAB, it will actually take me to the sites mobile page in the browser like normal.
Any idea what's causing this? I've cleared the browser cash and data, I've cleared Play Store defaults as well. I've tried removing all the individual web page settings inside the browser. I've done a ton of searches and found nothing.
I've actually now noticed that every time I try to link to a youtube video from a google search it just goes to "webpage not available." Again, if hold down on the link and hit OPEN or OPEN IN NEW TAB, it works...
This just started happening out of the blue and I have no idea what changed... And it's super annoying.
Any help greatly appreciated!
I agree. the same thing has happened to me and my wife's phone. When we google search in a browser on our androids, many links will direct back to the "play store" app. Same symptoms and reactions, when long tapping the links to open in new tab, the function works perfectly. And another temporary solution is to activate "desktop mode" if available in the browser, and it won't open the app store, but of course, depending on your device and the browser app, desktop mode can be a little sluggish
Please XDA developers, if any of you know how to solve this issue please let us know. Otherwise it'll be safe to assume that google is leveled up their reign of terror, beginning at relentlessly invading privacy, and now hijacking user experience by literary using actual malware techniques.
LG: LGL21G
Lollipop 5.0.1
Sounds similar to this
http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/0...to-install-apps-directly-from-search-results/
Nope, this is different. The article talks about the option of installing apps directly from search results (i.e. the user sees an "install" button inline with search results). Whereas here, the search results themselves are redirecting to the Play store, with no option to keep browsing the link in the browser.
dmitrybrant said:
Nope, this is different. The article talks about the option of installing apps directly from search results (i.e. the user sees an "install" button inline with search results). Whereas here, the search results themselves are redirecting to the Play store, with no option to keep browsing the link in the browser.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, which could be related to the roll out / bugs during it
Seems slightly coincidental that Google search results are redirecting to the play store, at the same time as Google is rolling out the ability to install apps directly from the results
*Detection* said:
Yes, which could be related to the roll out / bugs during it
Seems slightly coincidental that Google search results are redirecting to the play store, at the same time as Google is rolling out the ability to install apps directly from the results
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has suddenly fixed itself... Links now working normally again for me. Strange. Seems like this might have been some Google roll out bug as Detection mentioned.
Anyway, working for now. My Youtube links still only open in browser (instead of in app) but I'll live with that, I guess.
Thanks!
BluepointVance said:
This has suddenly fixed itself... Links now working normally again for me. Strange. Seems like this might have been some Google roll out bug as Detection mentioned.
Anyway, working for now. My Youtube links still only open in browser (instead of in app) but I'll live with that, I guess.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check in settings > default applications, that the browser is not set as default for youtube, if it is, clear it, and next time you open a youtube link, it should give the option to choose the app and set that as default
Or reinstall the YT app, and it should auto clear the default
*Detection* said:
Check in settings > default applications, that the browser is not set as default for youtube, if it is, clear it, and next time you open a youtube link, it should give the option to choose the app and set that as default
Or reinstall the YT app, and it should auto clear the default
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it possible that google has superior control over any android device, regardless of the type of rom? where If google wanted to, they can roll out some crazy beta test on everyone's devices and then stop it again, after they've collected enough information from their tests? Whereby making useless the option an android owner gets for allowing google to monitor their device for app malfunctions or not.
My browser is acting normal now too. It seems really weird that a very particular action that is mostly found in malware was forcefully applied to our android browsers, (i don't use chrome, bur the default browser app in my stock rom) for the same amount of time before being taken away. And i know for a fact that it wasn't with anything i've done. Owning android devices for a very long time now (and customizing the such and PCs too) is more than enough experience for me to know that this is no accident, nor foul interpretation of settings on my part.
Just how worthless have these systems and devices become? Is there any safety left anywhere?

Google Assistant/Google Now voice

Hello all!
I am facing a very annoying issue:
For questions like "what's the weather?" Google Assistant/Google Now only shows the result without saying anything.
Similar behaviour when asking "drive me home": navigation starts without any announcement.
On the contrary, Google Assistant speaks/answers normally to phrases such as: "tell me a joke".
I've already tried any solution found on the Internet with no luck (check output, clear data, uninstall google search, etc.).
I'm pretty sure it's not account-related because I'm using the same account on a Nexus 5 without any problem.
anyone in a similar situation ?
Cheers,
Tony
tonycapuozzo said:
Hello all!
I am facing a very annoying issue:
For questions like "what's the weather?" Google Assistant/Google Now only shows the result without saying anything.
Similar behaviour when asking "drive me home": navigation starts without any announcement.
On the contrary, Google Assistant speaks/answers normally to phrases such as: "tell me a joke".
I've already tried any solution found on the Internet with no luck (check output, clear data, uninstall google search, etc.).
I'm pretty sure it's not account-related because I'm using the same account on a Nexus 5 without any problem.
anyone in a similar situation ?
Cheers,
Tony
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep. I went through all the settings, and no joy. had to quit, if anyone found something to workaround, would be great
Same here. I have this issue after the September update
+1
When I tell "Go home" to assistant it replies me with going home or similar and opens maps
Happy to hear I'm not alone ... so to speak..
I guess, we must wait for a bugfix, then...
Cheers,
Tony
Try to delet voice model in google setting ..voice ...and then again retrain voice model ....that solved problem for me
I'm also having this issue. I've tried installing text to speech data, changed speech output to on... And factory reset. Nothing works. If anyone found a solution, do update here. Not pleased with the phone ?
try deleting user data of google play services and google app
My MI5S is the same.
varun.gid said:
try deleting user data of google play services and google app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done. Nothing new!
I also have the same problem, the assistant is giving audio feedback for a lot of queries and command.
Same here. Thanks for confirming that i am not the only one.
Might be the wrong thread to point it out but "ok google" by voice still gets triggered hence the detection is turned off. Is that normal? Can anyone else confirm this? I personally hate the feature, imagine your mic is always on just to catch those two words all the time. It's not the tin foil hat thing but the resource it uses for this feature ...
Cant reproduce it. I have it disabled on both on Google options and nova launcher
Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk
Same issue here but...
You can use the phrase 'tell me about my day' it will announce the weather.
Ppfawade said:
Same issue here but...
You can use the phrase 'tell me about my day' it will announce the weather.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. This is called cheating!
Also I confirm the problem.i tried everything.
Me too
I have that problem too on my OnePlus 3T running AOSPA.
Before I had the same issue when I was running FreedomOS.
I'm pretty sure that the logcat in the following screenshots shows the reason for it.
Unfortunately I can't find anything useful about it using Google...
I also think that this problem occurs only/mostly on Chinese phones, because most of the rare Google results refer to Chinese phones.

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