When would-be terrorists go to Google to find violent propaganda or information about bomb-making, they may instead find a counter-narrative of moderation and non-aggression.
A new Google program outlined at a committee hearing in the British Parliament aims to counteract extremist material online by increasing the visibility of anti-radical organizations in search results.
"When people put potentially damaging search terms into our search engine they [will] also find these counter narratives," Anthony House, Google's Head of Policy Strategy for the EU, told members of Parliament.
The pilot program would give up to $10,000 per month in advertising credits to non-governmental organizations that promote anti-radicalization. It would be a part of the existing Google AdWords Grants program, which gives credit to charities to help promote their mission and recruit volunteers. The credits will allow organizations fighting radicalization to purchase ad placement at the top of Google search results pages, making their message the first one people see when they search for terms related to terrorism or violent extremism.
Returning gentle results for aggressive search terms could spawn a whole new internet meme. Search terms: "Best practices decapitate infidels." Search results: "Wouldn't you rather buy this aroma therapy kit?"
(Score: 2) by Post-Nihilist on Wednesday February 10 2016, @01:48AM
Google is showing me advanced pharmaceutical intermediate ads from sigma-aldritch, is this related to this program?
Be like us, be different, be a nihilist!!!
(Score: 5, Funny) by Gravis on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:07AM
Google is showing me advanced pharmaceutical intermediate ads from sigma-aldritch, is this related to this program?
no, Sigma-Aldrich is the real life Umbrella Corporation. just avoid their "probiotics" and you will be fine, otherwise it's racoon-city for you, my infected friend.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Post-Nihilist on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:18AM
Oh fuck, your right, they merged with Merck, and went unlisted from NASDAQ i will burry the beer made from the free yeast sample from live sciences.
Be like us, be different, be a nihilist!!!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:21AM
First they came for the pedophiles, but I said nothing because I was not a pedophile.
Then they came for the terrorists, but I did not complain because I was not a terrorist...
...
When they came for me, I streamed it on Youtube, but it was drowned in results full of pets trying to speak out like humans.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 10 2016, @06:25AM
Welcome to the centralized internet where you are not the user but the product...
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Gravis on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:21AM
what i like about google is they give you the search results you are looking for. what they are doing is fundamentally changing what a search engine does. instead of returning what you want they are returning some of what you want and mixing it with the exact opposite. while this may be good for cut and dry "bad for everyone" searches, it's a dangerous precedent because the next threat might be less clear. for example, what if the DEA got you to muddle result about drugs? when you create a weapon, you need to be sure that it's properly used or have the ability to destroy it.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 10 2016, @03:36AM
So this is merely google doing what they've been doing for the past years, giving people what Google thinks they should get instead of what they specifically searched for.
(Score: 1) by zoefff on Wednesday February 10 2016, @08:40AM
There has been criticism on google on filter bubbles: only seeing your own view of the world based on your search history, results you're looking for in a scary way. Some ethics involved there for sure.
This is the opposite, although deliberately aimed at (and limited to) a pre-chosen subject, potentially damaging search terms. What are those?
What is perceived as damaging in one part of the world, does not have to be in another. Some ethics involved here as well...
(Score: 2) by kurenai.tsubasa on Wednesday February 10 2016, @12:02PM
Eh, I swiched to DuckDuckGo a while back when I was in a bad mood and it wanted to hype how hour of code will fix tech diversity issues overnight, right on my chromium "start" page. (Yeah, I got triggered but had been considering for a while.) That should be a sufficient move to avoid search bubbles as well as this weirdly directed "advertising," right?
(Score: 3, Informative) by Capt. Obvious on Wednesday February 10 2016, @09:30AM
They're not modifying the search results. They're giving free ads on certain words (and a very small value of those ads, $10,000 in total). Just like Coca-Cola can get.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:22AM
And, the same post will apply to the next article in line . . .
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:25AM
tasted delicious. Little too much lemon. Suggested baking longer for crispier edged.
Also: when will it go "boom"?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 10 2016, @03:37AM
Depends. Did you insert the plastic explosive into your anus or another cooking orifice?
(Score: 2) by Non Sequor on Wednesday February 10 2016, @04:44AM
Crispy edges? I think you've got yourself a baked alaska rather than a bombe.
Write your congressman. Tell him he sucks.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by garrulus on Wednesday February 10 2016, @12:19PM
Screw these SJWs with their fake government agency black budget funded business model.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 10 2016, @01:55PM
The word you're looking for my dear is 'fascists'. Ask momma if you don't believe me.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Wednesday February 10 2016, @02:55PM
Search: who do I have to murder to get Google to stop "smartifying" my search results for me
Correction: Did you mean, "How do I buy stock in Google?"
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday February 10 2016, @06:00PM
so what happens if i search on "Give me head"?
Search results: "Wouldn't you rather buy this fleshlight?"
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---