### Apple Faces Backlash Over iPhone Glitch Linking 'Racist' to 'Trump' Apple is currently addressing a significant issue with its iPhone's voice-to-text feature, which has been reported to erroneously replace the word "racist" with "Trump" during dictation. This glitch has sparked widespread attention and controversy, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok, where users have shared videos demonstrating the error. The company has acknowledged the problem, attributing it to "phonetic overlap" in its speech recognition technology, and is working on a fix to resolve the issue [https://www.buzzfeed.com/kristatorres/iphone-trump-racist-tiktok?d_id=8779805][https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/26/apple-to-fix-iphone-dictation-bug-trump]. ### Breakdown of the Incident and Apple's Response 1. **Nature of the Glitch**: - The bug causes the iPhone's dictation feature to briefly display "Trump" when users say "racist" [https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/iphone-trump-racist-bug-b2704910.html]. - This issue has been described as a "bizarre" technical error that has led to confusion and outrage among users [https://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/mobile-phones/iphone-users-notice-bizarre-trump-glitch/news-story/070a001214efd822d9fb0c6e226aca8a]. 2. **Public Reaction**: - The glitch has gone viral, with many users posting videos of the error, leading to discussions about potential political bias in technology [https://www.axios.com/2025/02/26/iphone-dictation-feature-trump-racist-glitch-apple]. - Some conservative commentators have accused Apple of exhibiting political bias, further fueling the controversy [https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/apple-responds-after-iphone-bug-shows-donald-trumps-name-when-user-says-racist-in-voice-to-text-feature-101740552084289.html]. 3. **Apple's Explanation and Fix**: - Apple has stated that the glitch is due to the speech recognition model's initial processing stage, which may suggest words with phonetic similarities before correcting them [https://www.business-standard.com/companies/news/apple-iphone-glitch-trump-racist-dictation-fix-phonetics-125022600632_1.html]. - The company is rolling out a fix to address the issue, which has been confirmed by multiple sources [https://www.pcmag.com/news/apple-is-fixing-the-iphone-dictation-bug-that-displays-trump-for-racist]. ### Supporting Evidence and Data - **User Reports**: Numerous users have reported the glitch, with videos circulating on social media platforms demonstrating the error in real-time [https://www.thedailystar.net/tech-startup/news/iphone-bug-swaps-the-word-racist-trump-report-3834356]. - **Company Statements**: Apple has publicly acknowledged the issue and is actively working on a solution, indicating a commitment to resolving user concerns [https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/02/26/apple-promises-to-fix-dictation-bug-that-replaces-racist-with-trump]. - **Technical Explanation**: The company has explained that the glitch arises from phonetic overlap, a common issue in speech recognition technology [https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/apples-dictation-system-transcribes-the-word-racist-as-trump]. ### Conclusion: Apple's Commitment to Addressing the Glitch In summary, **Apple is taking steps to rectify a significant glitch in its iPhone dictation feature that mistakenly replaces the word "racist" with "Trump."** The company has acknowledged the issue, attributing it to phonetic overlap, and is actively working on a fix. The incident has sparked considerable public interest and debate regarding potential biases in technology, highlighting the importance of accuracy in speech recognition systems. 1. **Glitch Identified**: The error has been confirmed and is being addressed by Apple. 2. **Public Outcry**: Users have reacted strongly, sharing experiences and raising concerns about bias. 3. **Resolution in Progress**: Apple is committed to rolling out a fix to restore user trust and functionality [https://www.moneycontrol.com/technology/you-say-racist-iphone-hears-trump-apple-fixes-weird-voice-to-text-bug-article-12950641.html].