Google is filtering news for the wrong reason: opinion


  • TECH
  • Thursday, 23 Nov 2017

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: The new Google logo is displayed on a sign outside of the Google headquarters on September 2, 2015 in Mountain View, California. Google has made the most dramatic change to their logo since 1999 and have replaced their signature serif font with a new typeface called Product Sans. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

We've known for a long time that Google makes content decisions, but recent moves in the direction of censorship are going too far. Unfortunately, it's hard to imagine a regulatory backlash given Google's victims: websites that no mainstream politician will defend. 

Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google's parent company, Alphabet, told a conference on Nov 20 the company was working to engineer RT and Sputnik, the Russian propaganda channels, out of the Google News aggregator. “We don’t want to ban the sites,” Schmidt said. “That’s not how we operate. I am strongly not in favour of censorship. I am very strongly in favour of ranking. It’s what we do.”  

Subscribe now to our Premium Plan for an ad-free and unlimited reading experience!
   

Next In Tech News

Could Duolingo be the place to go if you’re looking for love?
In the UK, 13-15 year-olds spend 11 hours and 40 minutes a week gaming
Geothermal energy will soon be fuelling power-hungry data centres
GM 'focused on righting' ship at self-driving Cruise unit -CEO
Take-Two's Rockstar Games unveils 'GTA VI' trailer, to release game in 2025
AI could judge if user is of porn-watching age under new UK guidance
AT&T chooses Ericsson for new US telecom network, will drop Nokia
GM's Cruise may face fines for 'misleading' regulator over accident
Deutsche Bank to review Postbank tech migration - Handelsblatt
Intel wins US appeal to overturn $2.18 billion VLSI patent verdict

Others Also Read