Google employees discussed modifying search results to contradict Trump travel ban

Greg S

Posts: 1,607   +442
Why it matters: As the leading search engine serving billions of users, Google employees wanted to intentionally implement bias into search results pages. Instead of returning the most relevant results ignoring personal opinions, Googlers wanted results matching their own political views to be shown which would completely destroy the integrity of Google Search.

Search engines are critical tools of the internet that make it possible to discover new content. Although social media now plays a larger part in content discovery, search engines are still responsible for an astoundingly large amount of web traffic. Google is often the "go to" search engine and keeps a tight lid on how exactly its ranking algorithms work in the name of preventing manipulation.

Google has very good reasons as to why its internal ranking system is not explained to the public, but this lack of transparency also has other implications. As a company with vast influence across the entire planet, Google's search results can quickly change public perception of events. As discovered by the Wall Street Journal, Google employees were found to be discussing how to intentionally manipulate search results to counter President Donald Trump's travel ban.

Following executive orders to restrict immigration from certain countries, emails between Google employees show discussion on how to best oppose the plan. In a brainstorming chain of emails, words such as Islam, Iran, Muslim, Mexico, Hispanic, Latino, and others were suggested to trigger ads for groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and display other resources opposing the travel ban.

Internal communications do contain warnings about participating in politically motivated activities and that there is an expectation of neutrality, but these cautionary notes did not put an end to the conversation. One Googler writes, "I know this would require a full on sprint to make happen, but I think this is the sort of super timely and imperative information that we need as we know that this country, and Google, would not exist without immigration."

Although Google is adamant that none of these ideas were ever implemented, it does raise some questions as to why Google would not put a stop to any such discussions immediately to protect their reputation from being dragged through the mud. Despite the fact that there is no known wrongdoing, Google has come extremely close to abusing its platform.

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Thank you techspot for this article. Over the past few years I have lost confidence in news media coverage I see, including articles on your website, relative to left leaning bias. I want to personally say that I appreciate this post by you guys because I feel that it is simply stating facts without intentionally omitting details, or adding a biased perspective. Good job, and I'll turn my ad blocker off now.
 
When trump twitted that google was manipulating search result, the shameless media started a thread to highlight trumps "paranoia and ignorance" .The truth is out now...everybody hates Trump because he speaks the blunt truth.

This was just a series of emails discussing an idea. Not actual implementation.
 
While I am not at all a fan of Humpty Trumpty, I do not in the least condone any actions like this from gagme. I avoid gagme as much as possible right now; articles like this convince me that such avoidance is justified. gagme, and it sounds like at least some of its employees, are complete parasitic scum. Even that they just discussed this is exceptionally disturbing to me. A god complex is never a good thing.
 
Why is this even a surprise? Google and Facebook have been caught manipulating feeds and results time after time, and always to further a corporate globalist-socialist agenda.
 
When trump twitted that google was manipulating search result, the shameless media started a thread to highlight trumps "paranoia and ignorance" .The truth is out now...everybody hates Trump because he speaks the blunt truth.
Really? Show me how Google manipulated the search results then.
 
That would kill google. Google became popular by giving the popular answers. Once they stop doing it, people will start looking else where, and someone will be happy to give them this.
 
Why is this even a surprise? Google and Facebook have been caught manipulating feeds and results time after time, and always to further a corporate globalist-socialist agenda.

What do you think Socialist means? I keep seeing people throw this term in their arguments and you seriously must misunderstand the term if you equate it with the agenda of Facebook or Google. Their business model is pure capitalism, they spend multi-millions of dollars every year to avoid regulation - ie State involvement - which is entirely anti-socialist.

Socialism built your roads, it keeps your street lights on, it pays for healthcare (at least, for the elderly in the US, 'cos screw everyone else amirite?). All the best societies on the planet are fundamentally capitalistic but heavily tempered by socialism.

Anyway - on topic: I think people are acting with the same wilful 'outrage' at this as they complain others do about social issues. Staff talk. I'm sure a few employees have discussed such gems as: wouldn't it be great if our boss got hit by a bus?; wouldn't you just love to send a terrible email to that customer who pissed you off?; I bet our CEO is sleeping with our CFO's wife!

People chat **** at work: Breaking news guys!
 
When trump twitted that google was manipulating search result, the shameless media started a thread to highlight trumps "paranoia and ignorance" .The truth is out now...everybody hates Trump because he speaks the blunt truth.

No, everybody hates Trump because he makes up his own news and calls REAL news "fake news". Your post is a perfect example of how people believe his crap with no proof whatsoever. As previously mentioned, this article is about a conversation, not anything they actually did.
 
While I am not at all a fan of Humpty Trumpty, I do not in the least condone any actions like this from gagme. I avoid gagme as much as possible right now; articles like this convince me that such avoidance is justified. gagme, and it sounds like at least some of its employees, are complete parasitic scum. Even that they just discussed this is exceptionally disturbing to me. A god complex is never a good thing.

Why do you liberals insist on name calling to belittle anyone who does not fit into your belief system? It really is very infantile and ironically indicative of the 'god complex' you apparently dislike.
 
Why do you liberals insist on name calling to belittle anyone who does not fit into your belief system? It really is very infantile and ironically indicative of the 'god complex' you apparently dislike.
1st Amendment rights.

BTW - Calling someone a "liberal" is name calling, too, which means you have no high-road here. However, I support your 1st Amendment rights to do so.

Have a nice day!
 
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Why do you liberals insist on name calling to belittle anyone who does not fit into your belief system? It really is very infantile and ironically indicative of the 'god complex' you apparently dislike.

Yes like Donald Trump, that huge liberal, who coined: Crooked Hillary, Lyin' Ted, Failed Obama, "Al Frankenstein", Little Rocket Man, Slippery James Comey, Chelsea "Ungrateful TRAITOR" Manning, "Crazy" Joe Biden, Jeff "Mr Magoo" Sessions, Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren.

Truly, t'is the """liberals""" who doth name too harshly.
 
Calling someone a "liberal" is name calling
Liberal is name calling? Not for me but clearly you believe a political affiliation is a dirty word for some reason lol. If the 1st Amendment is so important, why not accept the overwhelming voice of the majority, and their right to vote in Trump regardless of whether it upsets the liberals. Aaaand as you are big on the amendments I'm sure you honor and accept the 2nd Amendment then too? Enjoy the next 6 years of Trump :)

Yes like Donald Trump, that huge liberal
Oh come on really? Politicians slander each other during the election and Clinton was right at the front of the queue for that one. HOWEVER, the competiton is now over, the liberals soundly beaten. Surely now instead of whining and refusing to accept defeat it's time to get behind your leader, as many Republicans did behind Obama. It's called sacrificing your personal needs for the greater good of the country instead of tearing your America apart through childish foot stomping.
 
Hahah thankfully he's not "my leader" as I'm not an American. And I like that your point was "hey don't do name calling, why do liberals always resort to name calling!" then when presented with loads of it from your side you've said "well yeah that's fine". Cognitive dissonance can be a real b*tch.
 
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