| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Religious bigotry taking over Google? Thread poster: Anthony Green
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I've noticed today while doing various jobs that when I search for strings on Google, which is a vital part of my quality control and post-translation editing, the first hits have almost without fail been Biblical or right-wing Christian propaganda/mumbo-jumbo/spreading of the word of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether we regard Him as an imaginary friend or as the Saviour of the universe, if this is truly what is happening on Google, then I think we should truly be worried, so please post her... See more I've noticed today while doing various jobs that when I search for strings on Google, which is a vital part of my quality control and post-translation editing, the first hits have almost without fail been Biblical or right-wing Christian propaganda/mumbo-jumbo/spreading of the word of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether we regard Him as an imaginary friend or as the Saviour of the universe, if this is truly what is happening on Google, then I think we should truly be worried, so please post here if you are getting the same impression... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:39
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Anthony Green wrote:
I've noticed today while doing various jobs that when I search for strings on Google, which is a vital part of my quality control and post-translation editing, the first hits have almost without fail been Biblical or right-wing Christian propaganda/mumbo-jumbo/spreading of the word of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether we regard Him as an imaginary friend or as the Saviour of the universe, if this is truly what is happening on Google, then I think we should truly be worried, so please post here if you are getting the same impression...
That would be worrying. Maybe it depends on which country's version/language of Google that you're using.
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 06:39
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Anthony Green wrote:
I've noticed today ... when I search for strings on Google, ... the first hits have almost without fail been Biblical or right-wing Christian [content].
You may simply be stuck in a bubble. Perhaps you clicked a link somewhere that caused Google to think that you want to see this sort of stuff. Do you get this also in other browsers, or if you log in using a different Gmail account? Still happens if you use a different country's VPN?
Can you give some examples of things that you search for, so that we can tell you what results we are getting?
[Edited at 2020-05-15 10:20 GMT]
| | | | | The Web As Corpus… Christi? | May 15, 2020 |
I guess the voice of God always finds a way to sip through the cracks…
Any keyword search in particular?
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Anthony Green
Italy
Local time: 06:39
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | here are a few | May 15, 2020 |
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="feel%20safe%20well%20protected"
I'm working on furniture, where they want to focus on the home as being a safe place ... See more https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="feel%20safe%20well%20protected"
I'm working on furniture, where they want to focus on the home as being a safe place so make it as cosy as you can
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="And%20not%20a%20drop%20less"
I mean it could be that the original writer of the text I'm translating has been strongly influenced by Catholic texts, and is (presumably unwittingly) using the Church's metaphors, as there is nothing specifically religious in the texts at all.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="shared%20your%20passions"
2012: Waking of the Prophets , though this may be other mumbo-jumbo
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="truly%20is%20no%20place%20like"
erm, "There truly is no place like (our eternal) home!". Give me a break!
https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&hl=en&sxsrf=ALeKk01tAFeXCWD9zarPImJTNOX-4HZchQ:1589538634767&ei=Sm--XpSnLuqUmwWH2qHICg&q="%20have%20helped%20you%20feel"&oq="%20have%20helped%20you%20feel"&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIGCAAQCBAeOgcIIxCuAhAnUJyFAVichQFgxIYBaABwAHgAgAG0AYgBzAOSAQMwLjOYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwiU9Lnt1LXpAhVqyqYKHQdtCKkQ4dUDCAw&uact=5
The last comes up with THREE videos out of four about how to feel more connected to God when praying - you would have thought Covid-19 would have cured most people of this kind of thing, wouldn't you? (Yes, I'm not the biggest fan of American preachers, am I?). But "have helped you feel" must be a much broader strong than I'm being shown, surely ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Google products | May 15, 2020 |
Hello Anthony,
Interesting. From your examples, I am definitely seeing a trend as well as an explanation to this, as most religious references seem to come from Google Books results (except that last link with videos, again from YouTube, a Google product, and "There truly is no place like (our eternal) home!" from the clarionherald.org, an official newspaper…).
So the religious content does not come from a dubious website that we can expect Google to demote from its t... See more Hello Anthony,
Interesting. From your examples, I am definitely seeing a trend as well as an explanation to this, as most religious references seem to come from Google Books results (except that last link with videos, again from YouTube, a Google product, and "There truly is no place like (our eternal) home!" from the clarionherald.org, an official newspaper…).
So the religious content does not come from a dubious website that we can expect Google to demote from its top results thanks to its search engine algorithms. It comes mostly from Google products (Google Books, YouTube), which are being more closely integrated with Google Web Search in its recent iterations…
PS: Just to say that while Google Books is a Google product, showing published books in the results is not a bad idea when someone is trying to validate a specific expression. I tend to give more weight to such results, although obviously one would need to take them with a grain of salt (and some healthy scepticism!) in cases such as these!
[Edited at 2020-05-15 12:01 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anthony Green
Italy
Local time: 06:39
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | why does that content come up within Google products, I wonder | May 15, 2020 |
Jean Dimitriadis wrote:
Hello Anthony,
Interesting. From your examples, I am definitely seeing a trend as well as an explanation to this, as most religious references seem to come from Google Books references (except that last link with videos, again from YouTube, a Google product, and "There truly is no place like (our eternal) home!" from the clarionherald.org, an official newspaper…).
So the religious content does not come from a dubious website that we can expect Google to demote from its top results thanks to its search engine algorithms. It comes mostly from Google products (Google Books, YouTube), which are being more closely integrated with Google Web Search in its recent iterations…
PS: Just to say that while Google Books is a Google product, showing published books in the results is not a bad idea when someone is trying to validate a specific expression. I tend to give more weight to such results, although obviously one would need to take them with a grain of salt (and some healthy scepticism!) in cases such as yours!
[Edited at 2020-05-15 11:47 GMT]
Absolutely, and that is why I use this technique quite heavily. But I would be very surprised if the examples that are being brought up are the only ones of any linguistic value. Something would seem to be pushing the algorithms towards (pseudo-)religious texts within Google Books... It might be enough for someone at a Google office somewhere to be the son of a preacherman and to tweak the code in favour of religious content. Come to think of it, that could be an excellent way of getting a president elected... oh no, I think they've already tried that and it worked (though not at Google)
Something to keep an eye on anyway over the next while or so
| | | | | Nothing unusual | May 15, 2020 |
I do get a couple of Google Books hits with religious content, but not to an unusual extent. We can hardly expect Google to filter out any specific category of results.
I have set Google to 'Do not show private results', as I want as unbiased results as possible.
I have set Region to UK, as Google otherwise mistakenly thinks I prefer stuff from Germany (because of my geographical location). Sometimes another region would be relevant, but Google hasn't figured out yet t... See more I do get a couple of Google Books hits with religious content, but not to an unusual extent. We can hardly expect Google to filter out any specific category of results.
I have set Google to 'Do not show private results', as I want as unbiased results as possible.
I have set Region to UK, as Google otherwise mistakenly thinks I prefer stuff from Germany (because of my geographical location). Sometimes another region would be relevant, but Google hasn't figured out yet that some users may need more than one region.
The most annoying thing with Google for the time being is its idiotic tendency to search for something else than what I ask for, particularly when it 'thinks' a word in another language than English could perhaps be a misspelt English word. Then you have to tell it that you meant what you wrote. There is no way to switch off this 'feechur'. I just hate this smug 'we know better than you what you are looking for' mentality.
Have you tried to clear your cookies? ▲ Collapse
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M. El Kadimi
Morocco
Local time: 06:39
English to French
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| Duck Duck Go | May 15, 2020 |
Anthony Green wrote:
I've noticed today while doing various jobs that when I search for strings on Google, which is a vital part of my quality control and post-translation editing, the first hits have almost without fail been Biblical or right-wing Christian propaganda/mumbo-jumbo/spreading of the word of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whether we regard Him as an imaginary friend or as the Saviour of the universe, if this is truly what is happening on Google, then I think we should truly be worried, so please post here if you are getting the same impression...
Maybe you should drop Google and try duckduckgo.com
Most agnostic search engine out there!
And does not shove its nose into your browsing habits.
| | | | Anthony Green
Italy
Local time: 06:39
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | secularized! Many thanks | May 15, 2020 |
Thomas T. Frost wrote:
I have set Google to 'Do not show private results', as I want as unbiased results as possible.
I have set Region to UK, as Google otherwise mistakenly thinks I prefer stuff from Germany (because of my geographical location). Sometimes another region would be relevant, but Google hasn't figured out yet that some users may need more than one region.
Two excellent ideas which seem to have at least made the results a little more secular! I was starting to contemplate popping round to our local vicar to confess my sins after having been exposed to so much piety for a day! Last time I went, though, he chucked me out after 3 hours and I was just getting started, so I'm not sure I'll be welcomed back with open arms, especially during this health crisis
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Feel free to confess here. My lips are sealed. We could use some weekend entertainment.
As for DuckDuckGo, which includes results from Bing, it doesn't take quotes into account, as in "I only want exact results for this". At least I haven't figured out how to make it work.
| | | | Anthony Green
Italy
Local time: 06:39
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Qualifications? | May 15, 2020 |
Thomas, thank you!
Provided you can demonstrate that you have qualified as a confessor and can put a good word in for me at those pearly gates, then I might just take you up on your kind offer! Last time it cost me an arm and a leg in "voluntary contributions" to the Crypt Restoration Fund in the vicar's back pocket, so please could you give me a quote beforehand?
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I'm sure I can get my daughter to sign a satisfactory affidavit. I can furthermore assure you that there will be no charges. Have faith!
Anyway it's good to hear your results are more objective now.
| | | | Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 13:39
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Google knows what you want better than you do. And if you disagree, you're wrong.
| | | | MollyRose
United States
Local time: 23:39
English to Spanish
+ ...
| point of view | May 15, 2020 |
It is a shame that there are so many people that say and do crazy things, supposedly in the name of the Lord, and claim to have the truth. It is even worse when they broadcast it and hurt other people.
Everybody has the right to know the truth, and how can they know unless they hear or read? Everybody has the right to accept or reject whatever is presented before them; we all have a free will. There are a lot of lies and junk out there, but there is also goodness and truth. Just bec... See more It is a shame that there are so many people that say and do crazy things, supposedly in the name of the Lord, and claim to have the truth. It is even worse when they broadcast it and hurt other people.
Everybody has the right to know the truth, and how can they know unless they hear or read? Everybody has the right to accept or reject whatever is presented before them; we all have a free will. There are a lot of lies and junk out there, but there is also goodness and truth. Just because somebody or some "religion" says God is a certain way doesn't mean anything, but only what He says about Himself. If one reads the New Testament, starting with Matthew, with a sincere heart asking God to reveal truth, one will find that a lot of "religion" has nothing to do with the real God. God is not in the punishing business, but He did create us to function a certain way, just as auto makers create cars to function with gasoline, oil, water, etc. and to be driven safely and not crashed into things. "What one reaps, one sows" can be said another way: cause and effect.
One can learn About someone by seeing how others who Know him imitate that person and how their lives are affected. But if they want to Know that person, they must spend time with him, listening to what he says and seeing how he acts--not through critical third parties. It is our choice to pay attention or ignore the person.
In respect for the ProZ rules, I have kept this short and used generalizations. I also, truly, am not posting to offend anyone, but to give hope. Just as we all have to respond to the news or anything else around us, one can take this to heart if one so chooses, or you can just forget it and continue the way you have been going. I am not trying to change anybody--I couldn't if I tried; I am simply offering another point of view. ▲ Collapse
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