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Google Eats Its Own And Tries To Skew 2012 Election

LPH

Flight Director
Flight Instructor
I am absolutely appalled by the new Google election center announced today. The announcement of the new center was made on the Google blog by Eric Hysen.
Today, just in time for the Iowa Caucuses, we’re launching google.com/elections, an election hub where citizens can study, watch, discuss, learn about, participate in and perhaps even make an impact on the digital campaign trail as it blazes forward to Tuesday, November 6, 2012.​

There are several reasons for not entertaining Google with visiting this site.
  1. We are not a two political party system.
    The mainstream media continually focuses on two major political parties. Unanimously there is a broad over-generalization against third parties by influencing people into not voting third party. This is primarily done by suggesting a third party is not electable. Of course they are not electable when the media only focuses on the two parties. Duh.
  2. Google filters your search results.
    Try this with your friends. Find two friends with opposing political views. These friends should be politically active and insist they search the web with Google. Now, put in the same search terms on each machine. Your friends will see that they now get two different results. Why? Because Google feeds you what they think you want to see.

Finally, I highlighted a very disturbing phrase in the quote: even make an impact. Is Google really trying to make an impact on the election? If this is true then they better disclose their political leanings. I better see the person's political affiliation next to each person involved. If not - forget it.
View the Post on the Blog
 

Robert Heiny

Research Scientist of Learning and Education
Flight Instructor
Ah, so Google is playing the role of another Super Pac during the 2012 election campaign! After all, corporations are people, right? And people can form, contribute, and operate to influence election campaign results with money, media promotions, etc. So, let's see the Google Super Pac declarations of transparency.

"Appalled" may be too mild a term, but another does not come to mind immediately. My question is, Why? Why does Google say it's ok to launch an election hub? What rationale does it use, besides more money and traffic, to justify entering the political exercise.
 
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