Free speech

[Fred's Myth]

View attachment 304514
OMG! Censorship!!!!!! The sky is falling!!!!

Googling Breitbart is not the same as getting breitbart results from a google search. TTKU

 

[It will be fine]

Googling Breitbart is not the same as getting breitbart results from a google search. TTKU

That’s the claim of the article.

 

[upschuck]

Dont use Google, so no problem for me.

 

[BrownFlush]

People are free to be offensive. They aren’t free from the consequences that come with it.

Unless you live in LA, Portland, Minneapolis, NYC , Chicago, or any Dim ran st hole

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

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That’s the claim of the article.

 

[oldngray]

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Facebook and Twitter I understand how the censorship works, but I don't use twitter, and I am seeing the opposite happening on Facebook. I'm seeing way more conservative video recommendations and posts than I used to.

Google, on the otherhand, I wonder about. I have seen the stories about what execs at Google were up to around the last election. But I wonder how much of the results I get from Google have to do with the algorithm and Google's tweaking of it, and how much is outside influences manipulating the results. Once you understand how the algorithm works, and armed with enough people at computers doing the things you want them to do to influence the algorithm, suddenly all people get is vox's crappy opinion pieces when they are trying to search for real information. Seems like this is right up China's alley.

 

[oldngray]

Facebook and Twitter I understand how the censorship works, but I don't use twitter, and I am seeing the opposite happening on Facebook. I'm seeing way more conservative video recommendations and posts than I used to.

Google, on the otherhand, I wonder about. I have seen the stories about what execs at Google were up to around the last election. But I wonder how much of the results I get from Google have to do with the algorithm and Google's tweaking of it, and how much is outside influences manipulating the results. Once you understand how the algorithm works, and armed with enough people at computers doing the things you want them to do to influence the algorithm, suddenly all people get is vox's crappy opinion pieces when they are trying to search for real information. Seems like this is right up China's alley.

With Google you will get the same handful of stories from the same sources repeating themselves even when you go to the next pages. Some information will never show up unless alter your searches.

 

[vantexan]

Facebook and Twitter I understand how the censorship works, but I don't use twitter, and I am seeing the opposite happening on Facebook. I'm seeing way more conservative video recommendations and posts than I used to.

Google, on the otherhand, I wonder about. I have seen the stories about what execs at Google were up to around the last election. But I wonder how much of the results I get from Google have to do with the algorithm and Google's tweaking of it, and how much is outside influences manipulating the results. Once you understand how the algorithm works, and armed with enough people at computers doing the things you want them to do to influence the algorithm, suddenly all people get is vox's crappy opinion pieces when they are trying to search for real information. Seems like this is right up China's alley.

I think it's mostly, if not entirely, Google's manipulations. You're talking about having to hack their servers and no doubt they have a huge staff totally dedicated to fighting and preventing that. If not they would lose relevance as that kind of stuff would overpower them without vigilance. Most likely it's the liberal leanings of their staff, well documented, that dominates their business model. If anything they may be surprised that they can't be subtle about it, that many notice the bias. I argue with a very conservative friend about Facebook. I tell him on my feed I get posts from all the leading conservative talkers every day but he's convinced that Facebook, Twitter, and Google are trying to take over our minds and control us. Seriously. To me they're platforms and it's what you make of them.

 

[Old Man Jingles]

Dont use Google, so no problem for me.

I use

DuckDuckGo for my Search Engine and the AVAST Secure Browser with VPN.
DuckDuckGo works well with Chrome browser as well.
Cheryl has suggested this several times in the past.
Offered by: https://duckduckgo.com

 

[upschuck]

I use

DuckDuckGo for my Search Engine and the AVAST Secure Browser with VPN.
DuckDuckGo works well with Chrome browser as well.
Cheryl has suggested this several times in the past.
Offered by: https://duckduckgo.com

View attachment 304543

I use the Duck, too. Saw a billboard on the road here in town for duck, thw other day.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

I think it's mostly, if not entirely, Google's manipulations. You're talking about having to hack their servers and no doubt they have a huge staff totally dedicated to fighting and preventing that. If not they would lose relevance as that kind of stuff would overpower them without vigilance. Most likely it's the liberal leanings of their staff, well documented, that dominates their business model. If anything they may be surprised that they can't be subtle about it, that many notice the bias. I argue with a very conservative friend about Facebook. I tell him on my feed I get posts from all the leading conservative talkers every day but he's convinced that Facebook, Twitter, and Google are trying to take over our minds and control us. Seriously. To me they're platforms and it's what you make of them.

No, you can manipulate search results with enough computing power. The algorithm is designed to figure out what sites have information most relevant to the search criteria based on several factors, including how many people click on a link to a particular site after using particular search criteria. It also cross references links between sites to give weight to different sites' relevance, and so on. Search engine optimization is an intended direct manipulation of search engine algorithms. All these things can be manipulated without having to hack anything at all. It can either be done by employing large numbers of people to do certain things over and over, or some things can be scripted.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

I use

DuckDuckGo for my Search Engine and the AVAST Secure Browser with VPN.
DuckDuckGo works well with Chrome browser as well.
Cheryl has suggested this several times in the past.
Offered by: https://duckduckgo.com

View attachment 304543

Duckduckgo is fine for privacy, and I do get some slightly different results through them, but they are susceptible to the same manipulations as Google is.

 

[vantexan]

No, you can manipulate search results with enough computing power. The algorithm is designed to figure out what sites have information most relevant to the search criteria based on several factors, including how many people click on a link to a particular site after using particular search criteria. It also cross references links between sites to give weight to different sites' relevance, and so on. Search engine optimization is an intended direct manipulation of search engine algorithms. All these things can be manipulated without having to hack anything at all. It can either be done by employing large numbers of people to do certain things over and over, or some things can be scripted.

Fair enough. The question then is who is employing large numbers of people to do just that, and what does Google do to counter it? Google is trying to get views on advertising, how they make their money, and are they going to risk losing users if they allow bad actors to greatly influence search results? I can believe Google itself is very interested in influencing the election, but are they going to let outside groups screw with their livelihood for very long?

 

[oldngray]

Fair enough. The question then is who is employing large numbers of people to do just that, and what does Google do to counter it? Google is trying to get views on advertising, how they make their money, and are they going to risk losing users if they allow bad actors to greatly influence search results? I can believe Google itself is very interested in influencing the election, but are they going to let outside groups screw with their livelihood for very long?

Its all about getting clicks for views. They don't care whether the articles are true or accurate in any way.

 

[vantexan]

No, you can manipulate search results with enough computing power. The algorithm is designed to figure out what sites have information most relevant to the search criteria based on several factors, including how many people click on a link to a particular site after using particular search criteria. It also cross references links between sites to give weight to different sites' relevance, and so on. Search engine optimization is an intended direct manipulation of search engine algorithms. All these things can be manipulated without having to hack anything at all. It can either be done by employing large numbers of people to do certain things over and over, or some things can be scripted.

Also this comes down to what you're searching for. If you're looking at politics you might get outside influences directing you to certain sites. If you're looking for shopping advice, or travel, cars, whatever, doubt you're going to see much political. There are just too many searches going on at any given time. My friend the extreme conservative doesn't believe that. To him anything searched on Google will ultimately lead to some form of the Vulcan Mind Meld. He uses DuckDuckGo too. Says the difference between them and Google is they don't track searches. Much more private. That's important when you want to avoid future reeducation camps!

 

[vantexan]

Its all about getting clicks for views. They don't care whether the articles are true or accurate in any way.

I think they do care to some extent. Think about the pizza joint in New Jersey that was supposedly the site of a Hillary Clinton child sex ring. People actually believe such things and people can get hurt. I doubt Facebook wants that to happen again. It leads people to believe they can't believe what they're reading and they stop using the platform.

 

[oldngray]

I think they do care to some extent. Think about the pizza joint in New Jersey that was supposedly the site of a Hillary Clinton child sex ring. People actually believe such things and people can get hurt. I doubt Facebook wants that to happen again. It leads people to believe they can't believe what they're reading and they stop using the platform.

If they upset people they don't care as long as they get the clicks. Most search engines definitely skew results with a liberal bias.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Fair enough. The question then is who is employing large numbers of people to do just that, and what does Google do to counter it? Google is trying to get views on advertising, how they make their money, and are they going to risk losing users if they allow bad actors to greatly influence search results? I can believe Google itself is very interested in influencing the election, but are they going to let outside groups screw with their livelihood for very long?

Like I said, China. Google's more than happy to let China do whatever they want, and even build them a search engine specifically catered to the CCP's censorship laws. All to gain access to the Chinese market.

 

[vantexan]

If they get upset people they don't care as long as they get the clicks. Most search engines definitely skew results with a liberal bias.

Google is the only one I use and for most things don't see anything liberal. If I want to know what the weather is doing in Jackson, WY I get the weather there, nothing more. Google controls YouTube also but if I miss Tucker Carlson on FOX I can always find it on YouTube later. And others. I get all the conservative media posts on Facebook. If there's a vast Left wing conspiracy to control our minds they aren't trying real hard. And they know that if Republicans get complete control of government again they may lose certain protections if they take it too far.