The different worlds of Google – A comparison of search results on conspiracy theories in 12 countries
Journal
Convergence
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Gerret Von Nordheim
;
Tina Bettels-schwabbauer
;
Katharina Kleinen-von Königslöw
;
Paulina Barczyszyn-madziarz
;
Halyna Budivska
;
;
Filip Dingerkus
;
Liziane Soares Guazina
;
Kwaku Krobea Asante
;
Michał Kuś
;
Sandra Lábová
;
Antonia Matei
;
Norbert Merkovity
;
Fernando Oliveira Paulino
;
László Petrovszki-oláh
;
Michael Yao Wodui Serwornoo
;
Alexandra Wake
;
Viktória Zakinszky Toma
Abstract
Search engines play an important role in the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories, accentuating the power of global platform companies such as Google to contribute to the digital (information) divide by providing search results of lesser quality in certain countries. We investigated this phenomenon by asking what kind of results users see when they search for information on eleven popular conspiracy theories (CTs) via Google. We analysed links from Google search results (N = 1259) in 12 Western and non-Western countries and 10 languages. Overall, users are more likely to encounter neutral or debunking content when using Google to search for prominent CTs. However, for some CTs, strong country differences in the quality of search results emerge, showing clear correlations between categorical inequalities and unequal access to reliable information. In countries where journalists enjoy less freedom, people enjoy fewer democratic rights and are less able to rely on social elites, Google also provides less enlightening content on CTs than in developed and prosperous democracies. The countries thus disadvantaged are precisely those countries where there is a high propensity to believe in CTs according to comparative survey research. However, in countries where a global language is spoken, for example, English or Portuguese, there is no correlation between structural, country-specific factors and the quality of search results. In this sense, structurally disadvantaged countries seem to benefit from belonging to a larger language community.
Language
English
Keywords
Comparative research
conspiracy theories
digital divide
google
information inequalities
search engines
Publisher
SAGE
Start page
1
End page
20
Pages
20
Subject(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
von-nordheim-et-al-2023-the-different-worlds-of-google-a-comparison-of-search-results-on-conspiracy-theories-in-12.pdf
Size
968.11 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
c50790792302a9f8da5e1f489c188fb8