Google restricting access to left-wing/progressive sites [Socialist Only]

[Laika]

Something I ran across and thought was worth sharing here.

In the three months since Internet monopoly Google announced plans to keep users from accessing “fake news,” the global traffic rankings of a broad range of left-wing, progressive, anti-war and democratic rights organizations have fallen significantly.

On April 25, 2017, Google announced that it had implemented changes to its search service to make it harder for users to access what it called “low-quality” information such as “conspiracy theories” and “fake news.”

The company said in a blog post that the central purpose of the change to its search algorithm was to give the search giant greater control in identifying content deemed objectionable by its guidelines. It declared that it had “improved our evaluation methods and made algorithmic updates” in order “to surface more authoritative content.”

Full Article Here: New Google algorithm restricts access to left-wing, progressive web sites

Do you trust Google Search Results? And Do you think this constitutes "Censorship" given our dependence on Google for information?

Please Note this is in the ***Socialist Only*** Sub-forum​

 

[Notanumber]

I use DuckDuckGo the search engine that doesn’t track you.

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

I use Bing and Ecosia. Google's search results are chaotic and inaccurate.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Do you trust Google Search Results? And Do you think this constitutes "Censorship" given our dependence on Google for information?

Please Note this is in the ***Socialist Only*** Sub-forum​

All else being equal, I trust Google at least as much as I trust the objectivity of the ICFI.

BTW, did I miss where Google was approached by the ICFI for comment and possible resolution?

 

[Flame]

I've noticed some wierd search results when attempting to find more info on Democratic Socialism. Surprisingly Yahoo gave me better results.

 

[The Holy Bottom Burp]

Meh, I use Google all the time, I cant say I've detected an "anti-Socialist" bias in my search results in recent months. Sounds like your everyday right wing conspiracy theory.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think it's safe to say plenty of right-winged sources can claim the same, and I feel a good journalist would have looked into that, rather than keeping such a blatant bias.
On one hand, the "fake news" and echo chambers are pretty bad. and censorship is often and mostly unjustified, and always a very steep and slippery slope when it is. However, this isn't just censorship. This is corporate censorship. There is nothing we can do about this, as it isn't a state censorship. Yet Google is massive, It's an attempt to thwart a problem, but Google is so large, so massive, and so influential this isn't like Dominoes changing their pizza recipe. I think this decision will ultimately lead to more bias-based search engines, worsening the problem they are trying to fix.

 

[Valjean]

Information should be ranked for accuracy, not political bent. Is Google not fact-checking?