Saturday, May 15, 2010

Google Accused of Censoring Stories About Obama's Social Security Number(s)


Google clamps down on Obama's Social Security story
Now offering warning that some sites referencing dispute 'may harm' computers
World Net Daily, May 15, 2010


Internet behemoth Google apparently is clamping down further on consumers' access to a report about President Obama's Social Security number, which points out the number was designated for a Connecticut applicant, by warning that some sites carrying information on the situation "may harm your computer." 

WND had reported two days earlier, in the wake of the revelations about Obama's Social Security number and the questions raised by the report, that Google was suppressing access to information about the report, linking to completely unrelated stories when consumers would search for the issue on the site's news tab. 

Now a similar search of the web portion of the site brought up several warnings. For a reference to the report at hunsbergers.net, another at cleanclock.com, and a third at ccweldingco.com – all just on the first page – Google warned "This site may harm your computer." 

Jefferson's Rebels has also had issues with Google.


An Open Letter To Google Censorship Team
January 18, 2010, Jefferson's Rebels


Let me be blunt. Google censors political speech.

The world has known for some time that Google’s algorithm can be programmed to censor websites and keywords. Back in 2005, CNET claimed all its reporters were blacklisted for a year for posting information about your CEO Eric Schmidt -- information that was publicly available through Google’s own search engine.

On a grander scale, Google also proved its willingness to censor political speech when it set up shop in China, although now your company is threatening to pull out because of cyberattacks on your infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, spying took place against human rights activists in China. Now you claim Google is “. . . no longer willing to continue censoring our results.” I hope that’s true, but I’m not convinced. Regardless of your initial “good intentions” in opening China to the world, dealing with communist dictators always leads to predictable results, so your corporate motto “Don’t Be Evil” has now been tarnished.

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