Google engineers and contractors are working behind the scenes to change algorithms that alter search results in ways the company has publicly denied in the past, The Wall Street Journal reported in an investigation published on Friday.
After testing the Google algorithm and conducting more than 100 interviews, the newspaper reported that Google has intervened in its algorithm to downgrade the annoying sites and maintain private blacklists, as well as to make changes to the algorithm that favors the search ranking of a major advertiser (eBay) eBay, contrary to the stated position For the company.
The Wall Street Journal investigation is thought to support conservative claims of Google's bias and censorship, depending on how it identifies content that appears in its search engine and YouTube video site. Indeed, antitrust regulators are investigating Google's work to determine whether it has taken over the market for itself to stifle competition, or hurt consumers. CNBC reported on Thursday that the 50 prosecutors investigating Google plan to expand their investigation into Google search and Android activities.
In a statement to CNBC, a spokesman for Google: The investigation of the newspaper is inaccurate, and relies on anecdotes that no longer apply to its current research policies.
According to the investigation, Google has witnessed an internal struggle over the search algorithm to the highest levels in the company. Co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page differed on how to deal with spam and hate content in the early 2000s. Brin preferred a non-optimistic approach and urged Page to intervene more proactively. The investigation also stated that Brin, the son of Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union, allowed anti-Jewish sites to appear in the search results when searching for the term “Jew,” and disclaimed that the results “are born entirely objectively and independent of the beliefs and preferences of those who work at Google”.
According to the paper, Page pushed for a tougher approach to spam, and he told an executive at the research department at the time, “Do what you have to do,” accusing Bryn of “destroying” the company. Indeed, Google has later changed its algorithms to fight annoying sites, and allowed more manual intervention, according to informed sources told the newspaper.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Google has kept blacklists of annoying sites to prevent them from appearing in the autocomplete feature, which appears to contradict the testimony of a Congressional executive in 2018. When asked whether Google was blacklisted, “For political reasons,” said Karan Bhatia, vice president of Google's public policy: “No, madam, we don't use blacklists / whitelists to influence search results.”
A spokesman for Google told CNBC that the company does not think of political ideology when adjusting algorithms, products or policies. But the investigation pointed out that Google also made at least one change to the algorithm benefited (eBay) in advertising.