{"id":92488,"date":"2018-01-10T21:45:17","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T01:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=92488"},"modified":"2018-01-10T21:45:17","modified_gmt":"2018-01-11T01:45:17","slug":"google-censors-conservative-news-websites-liberal-sites-spared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=92488","title":{"rendered":"Google Censors Conservative News Websites, Liberal Sites Spared"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--more--><iframe src='\/\/players.brightcove.net\/5107476400001\/B1xUkhW8i_default\/index.html?videoId=5706049200001' allowfullscreen frameborder=0><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h1>Google\u2019s New Fact-Check Feature Almost Exclusively Targets Conservative Sites<\/h1>\n<p>Eric Lieberman<br \/>\nTech and Law Reporter<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/2018-01-09-e1515516577618.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/2018-01-09-e1515516577618-1024x431.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"269\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-92489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/2018-01-09-e1515516577618-1024x431.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/2018-01-09-e1515516577618-300x126.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/2018-01-09-e1515516577618-768x323.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/2018-01-09-e1515516577618.jpg 1134w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Google, the most powerful search engine in the world,\u00a0is now displaying fact checks for conservative publications in its results.<br \/>\nNo prominent liberal site receives the same treatment.<\/p>\n<p>And not only is Google\u2019s fact-checking highly partisan \u2014 perhaps\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/02\/01\/google-boss-trump-admin-is-going-to-do-evil-things\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reflecting<\/a>\u00a0the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/12\/24\/why-is-alphabet-ceo-eric-schmidt-technically-serving-in-the-department-of-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sentiments<\/a>\u00a0of its\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/11\/16\/google-parent-company-chairman-spotted-wearing-clinton-campaign-staff-badge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leaders<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 it is also blatantly wrong, asserting sites made \u201cclaims\u201d they demonstrably never made.<\/p>\n<p>When searching for a media outlet that leans right, like The Daily Caller (TheDC), Google gives users details on the sidebar, including what topics the site typically writes about, as well as a section titled \u201cReviewed Claims.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"top-id\"><\/div>\n<p>Vox, and other left-wing outlets and blogs like Gizmodo, are not given the same fact-check treatment. When searching their names, a \u201cTopics they write about\u201d section appears, but there are no \u201cReviewed Claims.\u201d<br \/>\nIn fact, a review of mainstream outlets, as well as other outlets associated with liberal and conservative audiences, shows that only conservative sites feature the highly misleading, subjective analysis. Several conservative-leaning outlets like TheDC are \u201cvetted,\u201d while equally partisan sites like Vox, ThinkProgress, Slate, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Salon, Vice and Mother Jones are spared.<\/p>\n<p>Occupy Democrats is apparently the only popular content provider from that end of the political spectrum with a fact-checking section.<\/p>\n<p>Big name publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times are even given a column showcasing all of the awards they have earned over the years.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.07.24-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6100622\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.07.24-PM.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.07.24-PM.png 950w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.07.24-PM-96x120.png 96w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.07.24-PM-768x957.png 768w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.07.24-PM-497x620.png 497w\" alt=\"\" width=\"950\" height=\"1184\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nThe Robert Mueller fact check (pictured above) is a case in point for Google\u2019s new feature.<\/p>\n<p>Ostensibly trying to sum up the crux of the post, the third-party \u201cfact-checking\u201d organization says the \u201cclaim\u201d in a DC article that special Counsel Robert Mueller is hiring people that \u201care all Hillary Clinton supporters\u201d is misleading, if not false.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that TheDC\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/06\/20\/robert-mueller-hires-another-clinton-donor-for-russia-probe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">article makes no such claim<\/a>. Their cited language doesn\u2019t even appear in the article. Worse yet, there was no language trying to make it seem that the investigation into the Trump administration and Russia is entirely comprised of Clinton donors. The story simply contained the news: Mueller hired a Hillary Clinton donor to aid the investigation into President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Still, the Washington Post gave the claim, which came from Trump himself, its official \u201cThree Pinocchios\u201d rating. The method applies to several other checks. Claims concocted or adulterated by someone outside the TheDC are attributed to TheDC, in what appears to be a feature that only applies to conservative sites.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of such misattribution and misrepresentation are aplenty.<\/p>\n<p>For instance,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/04\/07\/googles-fake-news-fact-checkers-include-snopes-politifact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">using Snopes.com<\/a>, an organization with\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/06\/17\/fact-checking-snopes-websites-political-fact-checker-is-just-a-failed-liberal-blogger\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">highly<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/12\/09\/caught-snopes-deliberately-omits-key-details-to-protect-kerrys-state-dept\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dubious<\/a>\u00a0fact-checking capabilities, Google\u2019s platform shows an article by TheDC to have a so-called \u201cmixture\u201d of truth.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.06.46-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6100643\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.06.46-PM.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.06.46-PM.png 936w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.06.46-PM-95x120.png 95w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.06.46-PM-768x967.png 768w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-01-08-at-2.06.46-PM-493x620.png 493w\" alt=\"\" width=\"936\" height=\"1178\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The \u201cclaim\u201d made, according to Snopes.com and Google, is \u201ca transgender woman raped a young girl in a women\u2019s bathroom because bills were passed\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A quick read of the news piece shows that there was no mention of a bill or any form of legislation. The story was merely a straightforward reporting of a disturbing incident originally reported on by a local outlet.\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/12\/24\/why-is-alphabet-ceo-eric-schmidt-technically-serving-in-the-department-of-defense\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(RELATED: Why is Google CEO Eric Schmidt Technically Serving In The Department Of Defense?)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And like Snopes, another one of Google\u2019s fact-checking partners, Climate Feedback, is not usually regarded as objective.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/oceanacidification.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6102055\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/oceanacidification.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 428px) 100vw, 428px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/oceanacidification.png 428w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/oceanacidification-81x120.png 81w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/oceanacidification-768x1134.png 768w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/oceanacidification-620x915.png 620w\" alt=\"\" width=\"428\" height=\"632\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nSnopes and Google also decided to \u201cfact-check\u201d an\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/08\/20\/the-eclipse-is-racist-because-it-fails-to-affect-enough-black-people-the-atlantic-suggests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">obviously tongue-in-cheek article<\/a>\u00a0in which a writer for TheDC pokes fun at a professor saying the solar eclipse in 2017 was naturally racist.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screenshot-2018-01-08-at-2.26.57-PM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6100660\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screenshot-2018-01-08-at-2.26.57-PM.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screenshot-2018-01-08-at-2.26.57-PM.png 287w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screenshot-2018-01-08-at-2.26.57-PM-98x120.png 98w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screenshot-2018-01-08-at-2.26.57-PM-768x939.png 768w, http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Screenshot-2018-01-08-at-2.26.57-PM-620x758.png 620w\" alt=\"\" width=\"287\" height=\"351\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Even Vox\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.vox.com\/policy-and-politics\/2017\/8\/21\/16179792\/solar-eclipse-2017-racist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pointed out<\/a>\u00a0the absurdity of the educator\u2019s literary tirade on Mother Nature\u2019s purported racial prejudice, and the damage it might have done to real arguments of apparent racism. While Snopes got some flak for its choice, no one seems to have noticed the absurdity of the world\u2019s go-to search engine providing fact-checks to purposefully irreverent content, rather than hard news stories.<br \/>\nOverall, such inclusion embodies Google\u2019s fact-checking services, which, as many presciently feared, are biased, if not also downright libelous.\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/09\/11\/silicon-valley-seems-to-love-burying-conservative-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(RELATED: Silicon Valley Seems To Love Burying Conservative News)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Google acknowledged it received an inquiry from TheDCNF, but did not fully respond by time of publication.<\/p>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2018\/01\/09\/googles-new-fact-check-feature-almost-exclusively-targets-conservative-sites\/\">http:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2018\/01\/09\/googles-new-fact-check-feature-almost-exclusively-targets-conservative-sites\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=92488"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92488\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=92488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=92488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=92488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}