Alleged Bias in Google Search Results on Election Day

SOURCE www.factcheck.org
Social media users alleged bias against former President Donald Trump when a Google search on Election Day for 'where to vote' returned an interactive map to find a person’s polling station when including the word 'Harris' but not 'Trump.' The reason is because 'Harris' is a county in Texas, whereas 'Trump' is not a location. Google clarified that the discrepancy was due to the fact that 'Harris' is also the name of a county in Texas, and the issue was promptly fixed.

Key Points

  • Google search results were alleged to show bias against Donald Trump on Election Day
  • The discrepancy was due to the fact that 'Harris' is a county in Texas, whereas 'Trump' is not a location
  • Google's search results are algorithm-based and not manually biased

Pros

  • Google responded promptly and explained the issue
  • Google's search results are based on algorithms and not manual bias

Cons

  • False claims of election interference circulated on social media
  • Misinformation spread despite Google's clarification