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Google is known for its love of April Fools pranks, always taking the time to put real effort into creating joke features – and 2016 was no different.
The technology giant added a ‘Mic Drop’ button to Gmail, which when pressed automatically muted any future replies and added a Minion mic dropping GIF to the message.
Get the last word with Gmail Mic Drop https://t.co/v3wbrqglOZ pic.twitter.com/PRfgLO9Mzw
— Gmail (@gmail) March 31, 2016
However, there was swift backlash to the feature as many users reported they had inadvertently used the feature in professional situations without realising – possibly costing themselves jobs in some cases.
Hey @gmail, I think you guys just ruined my chances at getting a job with your mic drop "prank." My fat fingers hit the button.
— Billy Brannum (@irresistibilly) April 1, 2016
I think what ppl aren't getting is the mic drop prank is harmless to all us tweeps who know its a joke but the Gmail world is way bigger
— Arthur Chu (@arthur_affect) April 1, 2016
Crap. Did you know that @gmail has a "send and drop the mic" button for emails to never hear responses? Yeah I just used it for a job post
— Larry Barnes (@youthminister) April 1, 2016
Strange, none of these people seem to share the Gmail team's sense of humor. https://t.co/12tIQvgrEM pic.twitter.com/60VAp4SZ5P
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
The same Twitter user, Andy Baio, also mocked up a worst case scenario of the feature being accidentally used in a message about funeral arrangements.
WHAT A HARMLESS APRIL FOOL'S JOKE, WHAT COULD GO WRONG pic.twitter.com/Maw8a6VUSA
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
Google responded and removed the feature less than 12 hours after introducing it, saying in a statement: “it looks like we pranked ourselves this year.
The technology giant has a history of April Fools pranks, having changed every link on YouTube to Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ in 2008, as well as adding a ‘weather control’ feature to weather search in 2012.
