In other words, Google\u2019s algorithms<\/a> can penalize the truth for not being popular.<\/p>\n Google Search\u2019s<\/a> ranking system has a fraction of a second<\/a> to sort through hundreds of billions of web pages, and index them to find the most relevant and (ideally) useful information.<\/p>\n Somewhere along the way, mistakes get made. And it\u2019ll be a while before these algorithms become foolproof \u2013 if ever. Until then, what can you do to make sure you\u2019re not getting the short end of the stick?<\/p>\n There are around 201 known factors<\/a> on which a website is analyzed and ranked by Google\u2019s algorithms. Some of the main ones are:<\/p>\n Research has shown<\/a> users pay more attention to higher-ranked results on the first page. And there are known ways to ensure a website makes it to the first page.<\/p>\n One of these is \u201csearch engine optimization<\/a>\u201d, which can help a web page float into the top results even if its content isn\u2019t necessarily quality.<\/p>\n The other issue is Google Search results are different for different people<\/a>, sometimes even if they have the exact same search query.<\/p>\n Results are tailored to the user conducting the search. In his book The Filter Bubble<\/a>, Eli Pariser points out the dangers of this \u2013 especially when the topic is of a controversial nature.<\/p>\n Personalized search results create alternate versions of the flow of information. Users receive more of what they\u2019ve already engaged with (which is likely also what they already believe).<\/p>\n This leads to a dangerous cycle which can further polarise people\u2019s views, and in which more searching doesn\u2019t necessarily mean getting closer to the truth.<\/p>\n While Google Search is a brilliant search engine, it\u2019s also a work in progress. Google is continuously addressing various issues<\/a> related to its performance.<\/p>\n One major challenge relates to societal biases concerning race and gender<\/a>. For example, searching Google Images for \u201ctruck driver\u201d or \u201cpresident\u201d returns images of mostly men, whereas \u201cmodel\u201d and \u201cteacher\u201d return images of mostly women.<\/p>\n While the results may represent what has historically<\/em> been true (such as in the case of male presidents), this isn\u2019t always the same as what is currently<\/em> true \u2013 let alone representative of the world we wish to live in.<\/p>\n Some years ago, Google reportedly<\/a> had to block its image recognition algorithms from identifying \u201cgorillas\u201d, after they began classifying images of black people with the term.<\/p>\n Another issue highlighted by health practitioners relates to people self-diagnosing based on symptoms<\/a>. It\u2019s estimated about 40% of Australians<\/a> search online for self-diagnosis, and there are about 70,000 health-related searches conducted on Google each minute.<\/p>\n There can be serious repercussions for those who incorrectly interpret<\/a> information found through \u201cDr Google<\/a>\u201d \u2013 not to mention what this means in the midst of a pandemic.<\/p>\n Google has delivered a plethora of COVID misinformation related to unregistered medicines, fake cures, mask effectiveness, contact tracing, lockdowns and, of course, vaccines.<\/p>\n According to one study<\/a>, an estimated 6,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths during the first few months of the pandemic were attributable to misinformation (specifically the false claim that drinking methanol can cure COVID<\/a>).<\/p>\n To combat this, Google eventually prioritised<\/a> authoritative sources in its search results. But there\u2019s only so much Google can do.<\/p>\n We each have a responsibility to make sure we\u2019re thinking critically about the information we come across. What can you do to make sure you\u2019re asking Google the best question for the answer you need?<\/p>\n In summary, a Google Search user must be aware of the following facts:<\/p>\nOne question, millions of answers<\/h2>\n
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A work in progress<\/h2>\n
How to Google smarter<\/h2>\n
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