Google pulls April Fools' 'Mic Drop' prank which 'cost email users their jobs'

Prank: The button sent out a gif of a Minion dropping a mic
Universal Pictures
Mark Chandler1 April 2016

Google has apologised after its "Mic Drop" April Fools' Day email prank triggered a torrent of complaints - including people claiming it had cost them a job.

The Gmail feature, intended as a joke for April 1, allowed users to mute replies to emails with a button which sent out a gif of a yellow Minion throwing away a microphone.

Launching the prank, Google wrote: "Today, Gmail is making it easier to have the last word on any email with Mic Drop.

"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."

But the feature has now been withdrawn after people complained they had accidentally hit the orange button and sent it to their bosses, colleagues and clients.

Justin Boxill wrote on a Gmail help forum that the stunt had cost him a job and left him "shaking" with anger.

He said: "I just sent off an email with my resume to the first person who wanted to interview me in months.

"I clicked the wrong button and sent it with the mic drop. Well, I guess I'm not getting that job. Words cannot describe how p***** off I am right now.

"I'm actually shaking. One click, ONE CLICK and I lost the job. Goddamnit. Not funny, google. I'm going to go cry now."

Allan Pashby also claimed it had cost him a job, saying: "I am a writer and had a deadline to meet. I sent my articles to my boss and never heard back from her.

"I inadvertently sent the email using the "Mic Drop" send button.There were corrections that needed to be made on my articles and I never received her replies. My boss took offense to the Mic Drop animation and assumed that I didn't reply to her because I thought her input was petty (hence the Mic Drop).

"I just woke up to a very angry voicemail from her which is how I found out about this "hilarious" prank."

Another person said they had accidentally sent it to 30 people, writing: "Yes, it's a funny april fools joke, but not when it's actually screwing up my important email correspondences..."

A Google spokesman said: "Well, it looks like we pranked ourselves this year.

"Due to a bug, the Mic Drop feature inadvertently caused more headaches than laughs. We’re truly sorry.

"The feature has been turned off. If you are still seeing it, please reload your Gmail page."

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