Govee included a book on ‘White Supremacy’ in its website imagery | The Verge

Overview

Tech Expand Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Business See all tech

Reviews Expand Smart Home Reviews Phone Reviews Tablet Reviews Headphone Reviews See all reviews

Details

Science Expand Space Energy Environment Health See all science

Entertainment Expand TV Shows Movies Audio See all entertainment

Policy Expand Antitrust Politics Law Security See all policy

Gadgets Expand Laptops Phones TVs Headphones Speakers Wearables See all gadgets

Verge Shopping Expand Buying Guides Deals Gift Guides See all shopping

Streaming Expand Disney HBONetflix You Tube Creators See all streaming

Transportation Expand Electric Cars Autonomous Cars Ride-sharing Scooters See all transportation

Tech Close Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Tech

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Gadgets Close Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Gadgets

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

News Close News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All News

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Govee included a book on ‘White Supremacy’ in its website imagery

It’s a study on White Supremacy, but another company ended up in hot water for using the same asset.

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

The sort of light reading material you’d expect to find in a childs bedroom.

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Companies often include background props in their product imagery that serve as set dressing, but one of Govee’s decorative choices is raising some eyebrows. An eagle-eyed Verge reader spotted that two copies of a book with “White Supremacy” plastered on the spine were included in a lifestyle image on Govee’s website, in a scene that seemingly depicts a child’s bedroom.

You’d be forgiven for assuming that this is the result of some failed generative AI experiment, or the work of a rogue designer. (The image didn’t contain any C2PA and Synth ID data when we checked, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out that something was generated with AI tools). But according to Govee, the image was actually sourced from an undisclosed “third-party licensed library.”

“However, we recognize that our internal review and approval process did not meet the standard required,” Govee PR manager Connie Liu said in a statement to The Verge. “We are taking immediate steps to strengthen our processes to ensure this does not happen again.”

A cursory look at archived versions of the website suggests the image had been live since at least April 11th 2026. It has since been pulled from Govee’s website, shortly after we sent our inquiry.

This was Govee’s website before we sent our inquiry…

…and this is what it looks like now, with the image replaced.

”We sincerely apologize for the offensive content contained in this image. As soon as we became aware of the matter, the image was immediately removed from the Govee website,” said Liu. “We are committed to ensuring all content on our platforms aligns with our core values of respect and integrity, and we take this matter extremely seriously.”

The book in question does appear to be a real publication, resembling a collection of essays titled “State of White Supremacy: Racism, Governance, and the United States.” That’s far less nefarious than presumed, but still a wildly unfortunate and questionable cover to include without such context about its content. Especially on an image that’s promoting pretty decorative lighting for a kids room? For what it’s worth, the other book in the image (titled “Another Art Book”) is also a genuine book by Jefferson Hack, despite the cover being displayed backwards.

More bizarrely, this isn’t the first time that this exact book has caused similar controversy. British hardware retailer B&Q issued an apology back in 2023 after the book was featured on its website for a radiator cover listed by a third-party vendor. B&Q said at the time that the product image “was not picked up by our screening process.”

Jess Weatherbed Close Jess Weatherbed News Reporter Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All by Jess Weatherbed

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Gadgets Close Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Gadgets

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

News Close News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All News

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Smart Home Close Smart Home Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Smart Home

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Tech Close Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Tech

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Ferrari reveals its first EV, with design help from Jony Ive

Sennheiser’s new Momentum 5 headphones have upgraded ANC and a replaceable battery

Uber president says AI spending is getting ‘harder to justify’

Key Takeaways

Tech Expand Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Business See all tech
Reviews Expand Smart Home Reviews Phone Reviews Tablet Reviews Headphone Reviews See all reviews
Science Expand Space Energy Environment Health See all science
Entertainment Expand TV Shows Movies Audio See all entertainment
Policy Expand Antitrust Politics Law Security See all policy