Google caught manipulating searches for Hillary Clinton

[Sombeech]

Really Google?

[Glenn]

It cuts both ways. Go to Google and type "Donald Trump maf" and you get nothing. Try that in Yahoo! and you get "Donald Trump mafia". It's just not a good analysis of how the algorithms work for each of the sites.

Only thing this video is missing are the tin foil hats.

[stefan]

really 'beech?

The examples that SourceFed chose are factually incorrect. Hillary Clinton has not been charged with a crime. She has not been indicted. Google knows this, and its algorithm actually filters out inaccurate information in autocomplete.

"Our autocomplete algorithm will not show a predicted query that is offensive or disparaging when displayed in conjunction with a person's name," a Google spokeswoman said. "Google autocomplete does not favor any candidate or cause. Claims to the contrary simply misunderstand how autocomplete works."

in any case, nothing prevents someone from clicking the search button anyway.

[qedcook]

It cuts both ways. Go to Google and type "Donald Trump maf" and you get nothing. Try that in Yahoo! and you get "Donald Trump mafia".

Actually, you used to get "Donald Trump mafia" from Google (at least I did when I tried a week or so ago), but I guess Google's answer to this video wasn't to fix the Hilary search, but rather change the Trump search as well???

[stefan]

Actually, you used to get "Donald Trump mafia" from Google (at least I did when I tried a week or so ago), but I guess Google's answer to this video wasn't to fix the Hilary search, but rather change the Trump search as well???

why do you think the hillary search needs to be "fixed"? "bill cosby rap" doesn't autocomplete to what some people expect it to. google has a different policy from other search engines which requires constant maintenance (not perfect 100% of the time) since search engine results evolve frequently. for awhile they've had the means to inform of offensive autocomplete predictions.

The autocomplete algorithm is designed to avoid completing a search for a person’s name with terms that are offensive or disparaging. We made this change a while ago following feedback that Autocomplete too often predicted offensive, hurtful or inappropriate queries about people. This filter operates according to the same rules no matter who the person is.

scrubbing the search results would be a huge deal, but autocomplete is treated differently. i'm not a huge fan of google, but google would be foolish to intentionally manipulate something so obvious to scrutinize and critical to the company. and with a complex algorithm it would take more than a few anecdotes over a short period of time to make a case for this.

and you do get hillary indictment from "indic" right now

[qedcook]

why do you think the hillary search needs to be "fixed"?

I agree that the algorithm is likely meant to avoid controversial or inflammatory completions, rather than it being a politically motivated thing. I think the Hilary search needs to be fixed, because all search algorithms always need fixing and maintaining, and because it does look pretty bad and obvious. It's avoiding a big issue, whatever the motives for avoiding it might be.

[Sombeech]

Originally Posted by news article
The examples that SourceFed chose are factually incorrect. Hillary Clinton has not been charged with a crime. She has not been indicted. Google knows this, and its algorithm actually filters out inaccurate information in autocomplete..

But I thought it populates with the common searches, not with what Google deems to be true or false.

Is it a fact that all men are so mean?



It seems @qedcook may be on to something about limiting results for Trump now too. Interesting comparison I just observed:



And nothing at all for Trump?



How about Google stops trying to dictate what is politically correct and non offensive, and just do their damned job as a search engine, bringing back the common search results? Why the nanny internet?

[stefan]

But I thought it populates with the common searches, not with what Google deems to be true or false.

as indicated by google in two places above, they limit it when it is paired with a person.

How about Google stops trying to dictate what is politically correct and non offensive, and just do their damned job as a search engine, bringing back the common search results? Why the nanny internet?

this isn't about limiting "searches" but limiting "autocomplete." you're conflating search results with autocomplete. and as to why they are limiting autocomplete, see above for their stated reasoning.

don't use google if you don't like what they do.

but if you're going to label a thread as definitively as you've done, you're going to need to do better than a flimsy video, especially when AI is involved in google search.

[Sombeech]

Nah, I'm just laughing when people go out of their way to protect the public image of a political candidate of either party.

The problem with being in love with a politician, is one day they'll commit a wrong that you can't get over, and they'll break your heart. Gotta stay emotionally detached from political figures.