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posted by Fnord666 on Friday August 16 2019, @01:05AM   Printer-friendly
from the don't-not-do-evil dept.

[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


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  • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Friday August 16 2019, @11:00AM (1 child)

    by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Friday August 16 2019, @11:00AM (#880988) Journal

    he never showed any sign that an argument or citation will make him change his mind.

    Which is precisely why I do not favour publishing political stories - I have never witnessed anyone have their political views changed as a result of in intelligent debate on the internet. Those who are prepared to discuss politics usually have strong opinions and thus are the very people who will not respond to logic or reasoned debate.

    This story did not start out with politics as its basis but the comments quickly deteriorated into politically polarised claims and counterclaims. At that point, we also witness an increase in the 'Troll' moderations because anyone with politically opposed views to the reader is immediately seen as a Troll. Marking as a Troll is seen to be a simple way of suppressing views with which the reader disagrees strongly, and any hope of intelligent discussion ceases at that point. Both sides of the USA political spectrum are as deserving of free speech to present their views as the other, and both sides never listen or apply reason to alternative viewpoints so are wasting their time.

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Friday August 16 2019, @11:34AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Friday August 16 2019, @11:34AM (#880999) Journal

    Which is precisely why I do not favour publishing political stories

    I can understand why you don't like it, but this does not mean I accept your position - on this one, I believe we can agree to disagree in a civil way.

    I have never witnessed anyone have their political views changed as a result of in intelligent debate on the internet.

    Radically change? No chance in hell.
    Accept some merit in another position, perhaps even mellow one that I hold, even when I consider it suboptimal? It happened to me many times. It also happened the other way around, to become more entrenched in some others, based on arguments (or the lack thereof) that were presented during discussions.

    That's one of the many reasons I see the publishing of political stories as beneficial - people tire and when tired some of them may start to listen - as little chances for this to happen as it may be, if you don't publish political stories, you lose these chances.

    This story did not start out with politics as its basis but the comments quickly deteriorated into politically polarised claims and counterclaims.

    See? Seems like Soylenters need to have political "fights" here. If you don't give them a context, they'll create one anyway (so, why should I debate endlessly with you over this when it happens anyway?)

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford