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By Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Washington Post
President Trump arose before dawn Tuesday complaining about Google search results for “Trump News.”
In a pair of tweets posted before 6 a.m., the president said the results for included only “the viewing/reporting of Fake New Media.” He hadn’t corrected the typo within about an hour.
Google search results are affected not only by region but also by personal search history. It’s unclear what device Trump was using, and how prior searches may have determined what emerged on his browser.
Trump gave only once specific example, saying “Fake CNN is prominent.” But he concluded, “they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD.” Conservative media, he claimed, is “shut out.”
“Illegal?” he speculated, going on to accuse Google of “controlling what we can & cannot see.” He promised the “very serious situation” would be “addressed,” but didn’t give specifics.
A search for “Trump News” shortly after the president’s posts returned three top stories. There was a Fox News report about Lanny Davis, an attorney and spokesman for Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, admitting he was an anonymous source for CNN’s report about Trump’s possible prior knowledge of the summer 2016 meeting at Trump Tower attended by a Russian lawyer. There was also a CNN account of Trump’s decision to issue, several days late, a statement praising the late U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). And there was an NBC story about the surge of Muslim candidates inspired to run for office across the country by Trump’s election.
Google search results for “Trump News” shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake New Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal? 96% of...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2018
Trump has raised increasing alarm about what he describes as political bias pervading technology and social media companies. In July, he accused Twitter of using a “discriminatory and illegal practice” to silence conservative voices. Jack Dorsey, the chief executive of the social media giant, said the company’s employees are “more left-leaning” but maintained that political ideology doesn’t affect what appears on Twitter.
Representatives of major technology companies appeared before Congress in July to answer allegations of censorship.
“We have a natural and long-term incentive to make sure our products work for users of all viewpoints,” said Juniper Downs, who works on policy for Google-owned YouTube.
....results on “Trump News” are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2018
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