Search Engine Results And Their Effect On Public Opinions Of Candidates

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/how-google-could-rig-the-2016-election-121548.html#.VdjBjflViko

This article outlines the results of a study about how the rankings of search results affect public opinions on presidential candidates. Basically, the study involved shows that higher rankings for search results lead to a more favorable view of the candidates searched. The study cites evidence such as the 2014 Indian democratic election, wherein the winner, Narendra Modi, had much higher rankings than the other candidates. It seems that the more a candidate is searched, the better chance they are elected.

The article goes on to suggest that biased search results based on the outcome of search algorithms tweaked every day by employees can influence voter opinions by taking advantage of this effect. The effect, the article claims, is so strong that it can even decide the outcome of elections in places like the United States, where elections tend to be won by a small margin.

Could Google really decide the next election? Is Donald Trump a front-runner due to internet publicity? You decide (Or do you?)

 

I think people have a choice what they search for. The fact that a person searched for something says something about its significance to that person.