GOOGLE PRESSED OVER TRANSLATION ERROR

Google is facing pushback after a recent translation error switched a phrase to one more in line with the message of the People’s Republic of China amid pro-democracy protests.

Last week, Google Translate reportedly mistranslated the phrase “I am sad to see Hong Kong become part of China” to “I am happy to see Hong Kong become part of China.”

The error, which was corrected the same day, came as hundreds of thousands of protestors marched in the streets, even after leader Carrie Lam shelved a contentious extradition bill, according to the New York Times.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Google Tuesday claiming the website may have been “negligent” regarding the recent translation error that he said advanced the “authoritarian government” narrative.

The Hill reached out to Google for comment.

A Google spokesman told Agence France-Presse “these automatic systems can sometimes make unintentional mistakes like translating a negative to a positive.”