The Times then reviewed a selection of those terms to check whether the content on the linked pages advanced the conspiracy theory or not.

Search results on Google also included some untrustworthy websites, but they tended to be less common and lower on the search page. (While DuckDuckGo relies on Bing’s algorithm, their search results can differ.) Twitter celebs balk at paying Elon Musk for blue check markįor many terms, Bing and DuckDuckGo surfaced more untrustworthy websites than Google did, when results were compared with website ratings from the Global Disinformation Index, NewsGuard and research published in the journal Science.

And all search engine algorithms are considered black boxes because the companies that create them do not completely disclose what informs their decisions.

They must now try to deliver relevant results for obscure search terms and avoid surfacing possible misinformation, all while steering clear of censorship claims.ĭuckDuckGo, which has about 3% of the United States search market, holds little direct control over the links in its search results because they are generated by the search engine algorithm provided by Bing, which Microsoft owns. That attention has put search engines in a difficult position, fielding queries from a growing set of Americans who seem increasingly gripped by conspiracy theories. They have increasingly embraced fledgling and sometimes fringe platforms like the chat app Telegram, the video streamer Rumble and even search engines like DuckDuckGo, seeking conditions that seem more favorable to their conspiracy theories and falsehoods. The endorsements underscore how right-wing Americans and conspiracy theorists are shifting their online activity in response to greater moderation from tech giants like Google. “I recommend you install DuckDuckGo on your computer, rather than Google, to combat all this.” “Google is actively suppressing search results that don’t acquiesce to traditional viewpoints of the left,” Shapiro claimed in March 2021. In addition to Rogan, who has recently been at the center of an outcry about misinformation on his podcast, the search engine has received ringing endorsements from some of the world’s most-downloaded conservative podcasters, including Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu

Duck duck go go