A recent study by the Media Research Center (MRC) alleges that Google is featuring Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign website more prominently in search results than former President Donald Trump's official site, a move that experts say is deceptive and gaslighting.
**Article**:
Google Accused of Manipulating Search Results to Favor Kamala Harris Over Trump
**By:** Fox News
**Date:** February 23, 2023
Google Accused of Manipulating Search Results to Favor Kamala Harris Over Trump
In a bombshell study, the Media Research Center (MRC) has accused Google of manipulating search results to favor Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race. The study found that Google ranked Harris's campaign website higher than Trump's in search results for terms like "Donald Trump presidential race 2024" and "Kamala Harris presidential race 2024."
According to MRC founder Brent Bozell, this bias is part of a larger pattern of Google favoring left-wing media outlets and suppressing conservative voices. "Google is trying to stack the deck in favor of Kamala Harris," Bozell told Fox News Digital.
Google Accused of Manipulating Search Results to Favor Kamala Harris Over Trump
The study analyzed the search results of two separate searches: "Donald Trump presidential race 2024" and "Kamala Harris presidential race 2024." In the first search, Trump's campaign website appeared sixth in Google search results, while in the second search, Harris's campaign website was listed third.
MRC researchers found that Google prioritized articles from left-wing sources in the search results for "Donald Trump presidential race 2024." The top stories panel featured articles from The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post, all of which have a history of criticizing Trump.
Google Accused of Manipulating Search Results to Favor Kamala Harris Over Trump
In contrast, the search results for "Kamala Harris presidential race 2024" featured articles largely from left-leaning outlets, with many focusing on historian Allan Lichtman's prediction that Harris will win the 2024 election.
According to a November 2023 Pew Research Survey, a rising number of American adults receive their news from search engines, making the alleged bias on Google even more concerning.
A Google spokesperson dismissed the study, claiming that both campaign websites consistently appear at the top of search results for relevant queries. However, the study used a single rare search term over a month ago, and even for that search, Trump's website ranked lower than Harris's.
MRC researchers also noted that Trump's campaign site receives less traffic than Harris's on Google Search, even though it ranks higher on other search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo. A 2023 study by SEO expert Brian Dean found that the sixth result on search engines typically receives half as many click-throughs as the third result.
The MRC's findings are consistent with a previous study that found Google favored leftist media outlets at a rate of 17:2 in Google Search and 19:2 in the Google News tab for Kamala Harris-related searches.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, concerns over potential bias in search results are likely to intensify. Experts warn that such bias can deceive and mislead voters, potentially undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
