[Ed note: This story was originally posted 2019-08-15 04:41 UTC but was lost when we had the site crash Thursday morning. Prior comments have, unfortunately, been lost. --martyb]
'Google Blocked TorrentFreak From Appearing in Search Feature'
Documents released by whistleblower Zachary Vorhies suggests that Google actively blocked hundreds of sites, including TorrentFreak, from its Google Now service. The blocklist doesn't provide a specific reason for the blockade, but other sites are flagged for having a high user block rate or for peddling hoax stories. Vorhies has shared the documents with the US Department of Justice.
At TorrentFreak, we have written hundreds of articles about website blocking and censorship. Today, we're featured in one ourselves.
Leaked Google documents reveal that TorrentFreak.com shows up in one of Google's previously unknown blocklists, which actively hides our domain from the Google Now service.
Google Now was a Google search feature that presented users with informational cards, to provide users with more details on subjects of interest to them. While the brand no longer exists, the feature is still present in the Google Android app and its feed.
The controversial blocklist is part of a treasure trove of files that were leaked by whistleblower Zachary Vorhies, who shared them with Project Veritas. The entire collection of files uncovers many previously unknown policies and actions from Google.
The story that broke SoylentNews™.
See also (Zachary Vorhies in the news): YouTube Software Engineer Describes Seeing Altercation In Building Courtyard
America's Greatest Makers is like American Idol for geeks, so we talked to one
Previously: Veritas Claims Leaked Internal E-Mails from Google Showing Political Bias of Results
(Score: 3, Disagree) by aristarchus on Friday August 16 2019, @08:23AM (14 children)
Janrinock, I mod you troll for being so clueless as not to understand how jmorris could NOT be modded troll. He is not wrong, he is not even close to being "wrong"! He is so far gone that he makes your Football Hooligans in the UK look like rational men of science. He is so far off the scales that when they measured dark matter, it said it had never hear of him. When the Nazis were on trial at the War Crimes Tribunals at Nueremberg, not one of them was willing to admit they knew him. You know how Red Skull ended up at the dead planet waiting for Thanos? jmorris could not even get that gig. In fact, when he ended up there, Red Skull hid, and jmorris had to come back to SoylentNews.
jmorris is not entitled to an opinion. He once was, but he blew it by having racist, misogynist, anti-science, and really stupid opinions. It is not the duty of all soylentils to mod him down on sight. Until the "SJW Wet Squad" can get to him.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by janrinok on Friday August 16 2019, @08:41AM (13 children)
So, that's a long winded way of saying:
(Score: 4, Funny) by aristarchus on Friday August 16 2019, @09:06AM (10 children)
That's it, janrinok! I am going to have to shadow-ban you! You just do not understand that sometimes disagreement is doing what good people have to do to prevent evil from prevailing. You are English, or at least claim to be, do you not recognize the wisdom of the words of Edmund Burke? Perhaps not. He was a conservative back in the day when conservatives could read and respect science. jmorris is capable of none of these! Now, I do not mod-bomb him, because enough Soylentils recognize the total depravity of his alleged "opinions", so he does get modded down. Until his sockpuppets mod him back up again. The Neo-nazi alt-right has targeted this site, janrinok! You know it and have admitted as much else where. Now start accepting mes soumissions en français, ou je vais péter dans votre direction générale.
(Score: 2) by Mer on Friday August 16 2019, @09:43AM (1 child)
I know what you meant, but what you really said in french was you wanted to fart in the intelligence service.
Shut up!, he explained.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Friday August 16 2019, @09:59AM
And you think this is a mistake? Who do you think janrinok is, and why is he in France, ahead of the Brexitgotterdammerung/Bragnorak?
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Friday August 16 2019, @10:49AM (3 children)
No, because this is an English language site.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by aristarchus on Friday August 16 2019, @11:00AM (2 children)
Who made this determination? Anglos? We implemented Unicode for nothing? I suggest that we go multi-lingual. I realize that it will scare the straights, I mean, the monolingual Americans, but they really need to be booted out of their bubble, and the English language dominance on the web.
Πρέπει να μπορούμε να μιλάμε σε πολλές γλώσσες.
απλά λέω.
Για παράδειγμα, ο Jmorris δεν θα ξέρει τον κώλο από το κεφάλι του εάν δημοσιεύσαμε στα ελληνικά.
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Friday August 16 2019, @12:47PM
It was decided by the community when the site was in its first year. Go and check the records. It was specifically modified to include any dialect of english (UK, American, Canadian, Australian, NZ, Indian etc).
(Score: 2) by etherscythe on Monday August 19 2019, @02:51PM
I have modded you Disagree, and I will now explain why. I do not disagree that perspectives would be valuable to Americans/English-speakers. I disagree that this site is an appropriate place to implement this policy. Mind you, I'm open (eager, even) to join such a diverse community myself, since I see the value in it. However, it's not necessarily a good idea to force people to do extra work in every forum. You can see in this thread alone how hard it can be to agree on facts; add in translation issues and discussion can go off the rails very quickly. I welcome suggestions on places which can provide decently moderated discourse on an international level. I'd like to keep SoylentNews where it is, so discussions can proceed with a lower bar for entry - monolingual smart people have demands on their time, and they can provide valuable insight even when they don't have time to check their translations, or verify cultural memes/conventions.
Now, if the Soylent platform can handle an international spinoff that'd be great - the platform is in place, as you've noted. Otherwise, I say leave the work to someone else; I believe the code is completely open and available.
"Fake News: anything reported outside of my own personally chosen echo chamber"
(Score: 4, Insightful) by janrinok on Friday August 16 2019, @01:22PM (3 children)
I'm sure that I will lie awake at night unable to sleep because of the firm and robust actions you are about to take.
So has the left wing, the moderates, the liberals and those who have no particularly strong views in any particular direction. They are all welcome here to express their opinions and to join in our discussions.
(Score: 2, Funny) by aristarchus on Friday August 16 2019, @05:27PM (2 children)
And you say this after it was intimated on IRC that I was responsible for the recent site crash? You have no idea what you are dealing with, janrinok! Powers beyond your comprehension! Have you heard of the "Dim Mak" [imdb.com]? The thing about an aristarchus shadow ban is that there is really no way to tell whether it is in effect. But its super effective.
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Friday August 16 2019, @07:58PM (1 child)
Citation needed. I was AFK and read about it the next morning and all I saw was Chromas trying his hardest to fix the problem and not cause more damage in the process.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 4, Interesting) by aristarchus on Friday August 16 2019, @09:31PM
https://logs.sylnt.us/%23soylent/2019-08-15.html [sylnt.us]
I think that he thinks not.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 16 2019, @04:28PM
While that is true, jmorris does have quite a reputation for presenting heaping loads of bullshit to this audience. He typically adds nothing but white noise to these discussions. Regardless of which way he should be modded (or not), I wish he would just shut up and go away. Just sayin'.
(Score: 1) by jmichaelhudsondotnet on Friday August 16 2019, @04:58PM
well said. we can be friends. i mean that.
the bad guys really hate this site you built, and i will love you all forever for that.
open discussion with verifiabiility and permanence and real community is obviously the thing on the internet israel and their stooges(and all totalitarian forces) hate the most, so keep up the good work.
soylentees are changing the world and you just went from being an obscure site to the front line in an epic historical struggle for the future of humanity. I did not make it this way, it's just how it happened to turn out lol.
"never doubt the ability of a small group of people to change the world. in fact, it's the only thing that ever has." - i got that from jack kornfield but im sure someone else said it first....