Since MAKA went viral, I’ve started seeing many people ask a few of the same questions about it – so here they are, answered.
Why doesn’t it work?
The extension can only replace images that it knows contain Trump. In order to do this without some kind of complicated image recognition software that I’m not smart enough to make, it looks for “Trump” in the image name or description text, and in properties of the parent element. If the image isn’t described or named that way, it won’t get replaced. Sorry!
No, really, why doesn’t it work on Facebook or Twitter or (some other site)?
*Gestures to answer above*. Update: since scanning parent elements, MAKA now has a reasonable success rate on Twitter.
Why is it replacing something that’s not Trump?
In order to achieve a good percentage success rate, the script replaces images where Trump (or whatever name) is found, not only if it is found as a discrete word. This means occasional false-positives for trumpets and Swedish socks. Sorry. In the future, I hope to add an option to reduce false-positives (but with a reduced blocking level overall, too).
Is there an undo or override option?
As of v1.1.3, there is! Right-click or control-click the page and choose “Make Kittens Trump Again”.
Why not puppies?
Meh, I’m a cat person.
Where do the cat pictures come from?
Most are Creative Commons licensed images from Flickr – mouse-over a replaced image to see the credit. Some were sent in by email to me via www.teaandkittens.co.uk
Can I see / use the code?
Sure you can.
Is this really a helpful or useful response to a hateful bigot becoming President of the United States?
Well, no. I made it back in February when Trump was merely an annoyance; a particularly vile and shouty cartoon clown making a nuisance of himself ahead of the Republican primaries when, I hoped, he’d get knocked back to his career of real estate fuckery and reality TV bellowing.
Obviously things didn’t turn out that way, and we’re looking down the barrel of four years of horror. No Chrome extension’s going to fix that, sadly.