Google Apologizes for April Fool's Joke After Minion 'Mic Drop' Prank in Gmail Backfires

By Mark Aserit 2 Apr, 2016 10:59 EDT

Google takes down "Mic Drop" Prank in Gmail after it caused more headaches than laughs. The company releases an apology in their official blog for the complaints from its users.

The internet firm admits that the prank backfires in a huge way. According to The Verge, Google says the feature shouldn't have been put near frequently used Gmail Buttons. Google accepts the failure in making safeguards for the users to confirm the activity. The tech giant also admits about the bug of the feature. If a user clicked it within a new compose message without recipients, the GIF would still attach itself to that message after adding recipients and clicking the standard send button.

Moreover, Vanity Fair reported users did not realize what the button was for, and did not find the new feature humorous. After they negligently inserted the GIF into high-priority e-mails, users become furious to the prank.

"Thanks to Mic Drop I just lost my job," one user complained in a google forum. "I sent my articles to my boss and never heard back from her."

Anyhow, the prank is just simple: users would see a "Mic Drop" button next to the "Reply" button, where the usual "Send and Archive" button is. Pressing the button would make a reply and archive a response. The twist here is that the reply will also have a GIF of a Minion dropping a microphone.

The problem was not totally in its content, but in its execution. Regular users of Gmail's "Send and Archive" button are mostly the victims of this prank. Because the "Mic Drop" button replaces the "Send and Archive" button which is regularly used by these Gmail users.

Google already turned the feature off. The internet firm are truly sorry for the bad cause it made. According to their official blog, Google are now working to bring back Mic-Dropped messages that had consequent replies to users' inboxes. And also, Google shares what they have learned about the recent issue.

With that, Google might come to a realization to think twice about their upcoming pranks. April Fool's day can be fun, but it can also have some unintended consequences.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.

Google Apologizes for April Fool's Joke After Minion 'Mic Drop' Prank in Gmail Backfires

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.