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Mike Honcho

Congresswoman to Google CEO: Why when I search ‘idiot’ do I get pictures of Trump?

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WaPo

 

In an effort to understand how Google search algorithms work, a Democratic congresswoman asked the tech company’s chief executive a simple question: “If you Google the word ‘idiot' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. How would that happen? How does search work so that that would occur?”

 

In the middle of a congressional hearing ostensibly about privacy and data collection, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) seemed to perform that search from the dais. As it turns out, the image results for “idiot” does reveal a page of mostly Trump photos.

 

 

 

:lol: :LOL: :lol:

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In one exchange, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) asked Pichai whether he had ever directed an employee to manipulate search results. Pichai explained that its not possible for one person, or even a group of people, to do that because there are so many steps in the process.

 

But Smith did not accept that explanation, telling Pichai: Let me just say, I disagree. I think humans can manipulate the process. It is a human process at its base.

 

Republicans on the panel couldnt get past the myth that some person(s) inside Google couldnt arbitrarily change search algorithms for political gain.

 

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) complained that when he googled the Republican health-care bill or the GOP tax cuts the first several pages listed negative articles. How do you explain this apparent bias on Googles part against conservative points of view, against conservative policies? Is it just the algorithm, or is there more happening there? Chabot asked.

 

Congressman, I understand the frustration of seeing negative news, and, you know, I see it on me, Pichai offered. What is important here is we use the robust methodology to reflect what is being said about any given topic at any particular time. And we try to do it objectively, using a set of rubrics. It is in our interest to make sure we reflect whats happening out there in the best objective manner possible. I can commit to you, and I can assure you, we do it without regards to political ideology. Our algorithms have no notion of political sentiment in it.

 

But Chabot wasnt having it. He told Pichai that conservatives believe Google is picking winners and losers in political discourse.

 

Theres a lot of people that think what Im saying here is happening, Chabot said. And I think its happening.

:lol:

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He's right though, he just doesn't know what he is talking about. I do this for a living and Google absolutely edits their organic search results. That isn't even disputed in the industry anymore.

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Google has claimed to have taken steps to reduce its filter bubble problem, but our latest research reveals a very different story. Based on a study of individuals entering identical search terms at the same time, we found that:

 

1. Most participants saw results unique to them. These discrepancies could not be explained by changes in location, time, by being logged in to Google, or by Google testing algorithm changes to a small subset of users.

 

2. On the first page of search results, Google included links for some participants that it did not include for others, even when logged out and in private browsing mode.

 

3. Results within the news and videos infoboxes also varied significantly. Even though people searched at the same time, people were shown different sources, even after accounting for location.

 

4. Private browsing mode and being logged out of Google offered very little filter bubble protection. These tactics simply do not provide the anonymity most people expect. In fact, it's simply not possible to use Google search and avoid its filter bubble.

https://spreadprivacy.com/google-filter-bubble-study/

 

 

I read this article a week ago and seems relevant here. It is a good read. Google manipulates the results based on information that it has on you.

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https://spreadprivacy.com/google-filter-bubble-study/

 

 

I read this article a week ago and seems relevant here. It is a good read. Google manipulates the results based on information that it has on you.

They definitely personalize results. However, that is not why he keeps showing up. This is probably a lot closer to the reason, but there is no way Congressmen will understand it. :lol:

 

https://www.thestreet.com/politics/donald-trump-idiot-google-images-why-14808650

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If you search "idiot" on DuckDuckGo nothing shows up about Donald Trump except articles referencing the story at hand. This is what a non-biased search engine looks like when you search "idiot" just so you all have something to compare it to.

 

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=idiot&t=h_&ia=web

If thats not a smocking gun, I dont know what is. :)

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I'm convinced

 

He's right though, he just doesn't know what he is talking about. I do this for a living and Google absolutely edits their organic search results. That isn't even disputed in the industry anymore.

Lol

 

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I'm convinced

 

Lol

 

 

Conspiracy? Are you focking stupid? The results are right in front of your face.

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Conspiracy? Are you focking stupid? The results are right in front of your face.

:thumbsup:

 

They've already been fined a couple bil by the European Union for doing just that. I don't know to what extent they're manipulating search results, but they're 100% doing it.

 

Doesn't change that Trump is in fact an idiot though. :)

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I'm not comfortable with this Indian guy at google having this much power.

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:thumbsup:

 

They've already been fined a couple bil by the European Union for doing just that. I don't know to what extent they're manipulating search results, but they're 100% doing it.

 

Doesn't change that Trump is in fact an idiot though. :)

 

I can agree with your first sentence.

 

I'm pretty sure I can agree with your second sentence for the most part.

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:thumbsup:

 

They've already been fined a couple bil by the European Union for doing just that. I don't know to what extent they're manipulating search results, but they're 100% doing it.

 

Doesn't change that Trump is in fact an idiot though. :)

 

Dude the Europeans are commies. They don't know wtf they are doing. Didn't you get the memo?

 

Lol google is conspiring to take over the world, jeebus krist this place is bat sh!t.

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Dude the Europeans are commies. They don't know wtf they are doing. Didn't you get the memo?

 

Lol google is conspiring to take over the world, jeebus krist this place is bat sh!t.

 

You definitely aren't a stable person.

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Dude the Europeans are commies. They don't know wtf they are doing. Didn't you get the memo?

 

Lol google is conspiring to take over the world, jeebus krist this place is bat sh!t.

 

You make AOC look like a genius.

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I'm not comfortable with this Indian guy at google having this much power.

he just sold a ton of his stock in the company and same day he is questioned about them giving china some sort of government controlled search engine his Chinese headquarters went up in flames.

 

:ninja:

 

Follow the money

 

Going down

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he just sold a ton of his stock in the company and same day he is questioned about them giving china some sort of government controlled search engine his Chinese headquarters went up in flames.

 

:ninja:

 

Follow the money

 

Going down

I was going for more of a xenophobic angle, but ok.

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It's weird to me some of you are not more worried about this. This is a huge deal. Sure we've known about google doing this, but the I don't think the normal person on the street does.

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It's weird to me some of you are not more worried about this. This is a huge deal. Sure we've known about google doing this, but the I don't think the normal person on the street does.

This is probably going to keep going on until some younger politicians with a better understanding of technology take office. Not AOC types though.

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This is probably going to keep going on until some younger politicians with a better understand of technology take office. Not AOC types though.

Similar to how people slept on net neutrality. Old people, regardless of party, just cant comprehend whats going on.

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This is probably going to keep going on until some younger politicians with a better understanding of technology take office. Not AOC types though.

Problem with this is that about 50% of this country has been brainwashed into thinking we need career politicians to run the country, rather than bringing technology and business savvy people through the ranks. Look at that Cortez woman. The left are propping her up as the future of the party, but you have all heard her speak on economics, and can see that she is a brainless dolt.

 

Look at what Obama did. He ran on, and preached 'hope' for 8 years (and still talking about it now), launched the biggest wave of identity politics ever, and made all the raging liberals just itching to vote for the next transgender or illegal alien or black female homosexual instead of caring about what Google is doing and the technology they own and are feeding out there.

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Similar to how people slept on net neutrality. Old people, regardless of party, just cant comprehend whats going on.

 

I'm cool. I'm hip. durka druka durka. I am against NN. I believe all internet data should be treated equally however NN stifled growth made it much harder for new ISPs and upgrading equipment to happen.

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I could tell that no one clicked on my article.

 

Quote

Back in 2012 we ran a study showing Google's filter bubble may have significantly influenced the 2012 U.S. Presidential election by inserting tens of millions of more links for Obama than for Romney in the run-up to that election. Our research inspired an independent study by the Wall Street Journal (paywall):

 

A Wall Street Journal examination found that the search engine often customizes the results of people who have recently searched for "Obama"—but not those who have recently searched for "Romney."

The article said near the top that google helped Obama beat Romney, if someone read the article they would have quoted it.

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It's weird to me some of you are not more worried about this. This is a huge deal. Sure we've known about google doing this, but the I don't think the normal person on the street does.

After reading some of yours and others views here, along with a little more reading/research on my end, I've flipped my view on the topic. I believed private business blah blah, but not now.

 

Some of you make strong, well informed views. Greatly appreciate being "schooled" on the topic without all the sissy slap fights. :thumbsup:

 

Thanks.

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So google pushes a leftist slanted agenda with their search results. As a media company, they can take any political stance they choose. If average Americans aren't smart enough to know that media companies are biased, that's on them.

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So google pushes a leftist slanted agenda with their search results. As a media company, they can take any political stance they choose. If average Americans aren't smart enough to know that media companies are biased, that's on them.

 

Yeah but with other industries there are actual alternatives we can use. Don't like Amazon? Okay use Overstock. Don't like Chevy? Okay buy a Ford. What is a good alternative to YT? Vimeo? Vimeo sucks. It is nearly impossible to not use an Alphabet Co. product or service. This is comparable to Standard Oil which is one of the reason I would be 100% in full support of a Google/Facebook forced government split.

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So google pushes a leftist slanted agenda with their search results. As a media company, they can take any political stance they choose. If average Americans aren't smart enough to know that media companies are biased, that's on them.

A lot of us do realize it. Problem is, these days kids seem to be getting raised on the internet once they hit high school, and even before they start forming political opinions they are being exposed to biased results based on what they put in a search box. Kids do school research on the web all the time without knowing what they are looking at a lot of the times. Politically motivated businesses that are providing biased results via a search term, should be called out on it.

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Yeah but with other industries there are actual alternatives we can use. Don't like Amazon? Okay use Overstock. Don't like Chevy? Okay buy a Ford. What is a good alternative to YT? Vimeo? Vimeo sucks. It is nearly impossible to not use an Alphabet Co. product or service. This is comparable to Standard Oil which is one of the reason I would be 100% in full support of a Google/Facebook forced government split.

 

 

A lot of us do realize it. Problem is, these days kids seem to be getting raised on the internet once they hit high school, and even before they start forming political opinions they are being exposed to biased results based on what they put in a search box. Kids do school research on the web all the time without knowing what they are looking at a lot of the times. Politically motivated businesses that are providing biased results via a search term, should be called out on it.

 

No different than turning on the tv, the radio or picking up a newspaper (if you can still find one).

 

There simply is no viable mainstream resource for unbiased, factual reporting anymore. As a whole, the media is a sh!tshow. Google, Yahoo and Bing are all a part of it.

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