Google retracts April Fools’ Gmail prank after it backfires
Many users accidentally used the Internet giant’s mic-dropping minion GIF in their emails and could not undo the feature.
Internet giant Google on Friday introduced and then rolled back an April Fools’ Day prank that let users have the last word in a Gmail conversation. Every year, Google adds a Fools’ Day feature, but this time, many users complained of using it accidentally, and some said they even lost their jobs because of it. The feature this time allowed users a "Send + Mic drop" feature in Gmail.
"Simply reply to any email using the new 'Send + Mic Drop' button. Everyone will get your message, but that's the last you'll ever hear about it. Yes, even if folks try to respond, you won't see it," Google's official blog said when it launched the prank. Using the button would also inadvertently send a GIF image of a Minion dropping a mic to signal the end of a conversation.
A few hours after the feature was introduced, Google acknowledged that it was causing problems when users couldn’t undo the mic drop if they accidentally used it with people who might not appreciate it, such as bosses and clients. Google said, “Well, it looks like we pranked ourselves this year,” and apologised for it.