A little research goes a long way:

ADL Praises Google for Responding to Concerns About Rankings of Hate Sites

New York, NY, April 22, 2004 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today praised Google for responding to its concerns about rankings of extremist Web sites. Google has assured ADL that its staff is looking at various technical modifications that will enable the Internet search engine to better identify and categorize racially offensive sites that come up in search results.

In a letter to ADL, Google President Sergey Brin apologized to users who found the search results for the word "Jew" upsetting and promised to work for a solution that would satisfy ADL's concerns and those of users offended by the #1 ranking of an anti-Semitic Web site.

"We are extremely pleased that Google has heard our concerns and those of its users about the offensive nature of some search results and the unusually high ranking of peddlers of bigotry and anti-Semitism," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "Google has shown great responsiveness to this issue and a willingness to consider changes to better identify extremist Web sites, so that users can still have the benefit of Google's unique search technology while being alerted when they are about to enter into a hate zone."

In response to a deluge of e-mails about Google, ADL contacted the company earlier this month to express its concern and offer suggestions for categorizing hate sites without censoring them in the results. Google's response was immediate and has led to ongoing discussions between ADL's Internet monitoring team and Google's technical experts.

Until the technical modifications are implemented, Google has placed text on its site that gives users a clear explanation of how search results are obtained. Google searches are automatically determined using computer algorithms that take into account thousands of factors to calculate a page's relevance.

"We apologize for the upsetting nature of the experience you had using Google and appreciate your taking the time to inform us about it," Mr. Brin said in his letter. "This is clearly an issue that we care deeply about, and we plan to explore additional ways of addressing it in the future."

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/Internet_75/4482_75.htm

2004!!! Yes, folks, this hysteria is ancient history.

A little more reality for those who can think.


Update April 22, 2004


UPDATE: ADL Praises Google for Responding to Concerns About Rankings of Hate Sites

e-mail campaign suggests that Google intentionally lists a hate site as the first item that comes up when searching under "Jew" or "Jews." While it is true that hate sites do appear when certain search terms are used, their appearance and rank are not controlled by Google. Google employs technology that automatically ranks sites based on a complicated formula called an algorithm. The ranking of Jewwatch and other hate sites is in no way due to a conscious choice by Google, but solely is a result of this automated system of ranking.

When searching under the term "Jew," the top result in Google at the time of this writing is the hate site "Jewwatch." This site is run by Frank Weltner, who also uses the online monikers "Von Goldstein Mohammad" and "Couch Potato." "Jewwatch" has been in existence since 1997. The longevity of ownership, the way articles are posted to it, the links to and from the site, and the structure of the site itself all increase the ranking of "Jewwatch" within the Google formula.


2004.

Much ado about nothing.

A little research? Its just a few google clicks away. Some "research."

I read that article three days ago.

As for the email campaign suggesting that Google intentionally lists a hate site as the first item that comes up when searching under "Jew" or "Jews---
I would bet money that it was started by members of the ADL. That is their M.O.

And if the ADL were at all intelligent, they would have realized that Google is not responsible.

In any case, the thugs should mind their own business and stop trying to control the free flow of information just because they don't happen to like it.

Really? Ever hear that if you give them an inch..... they will take a mile?

The ADL calling google was clearly intimidation. What else would it be? They are not a government agency and they have no laws backing them up. They are just using their imagined influence and muscle to stick their nose where it does not belong.

All that "polite" B.S in the article above is spin. Read between the lines.




The above is the ADL admitting that they are the ones who complained and their "offering suggestions" are them trying to tell Google how to alter their search engine to their (the ADL's) satisfaction.

And since when has the "Jew watch" website been officially determined and categorized as a "hate site?" And who is doing that categorizing?

Ongoing discussions? There is no more to discuss. Google should tell those thugs to GET LOST.

You read it three days ago? You missed the obvious fact that this went on eight years ago. When I said A LITTLE RESEARCH, I meant, not taking your word for anything, and I was proved right. Btw, I'm not interested in your hysterical theories. 2004 FFS! Much ado about nothing.

I don't think it matters how many years ago that took place. It was wrong then and it is still wrong today. It was just the other day when I found google's "explanation" for the search engine results. They should not have to explain anything to anyone.

Actually, Google is a public company and they do have to answer to those who pay their bills, so yes they do have to explain what they do and why they do so.

Probably only to their stock holders...

So okay the "splained" it to the ADL but they didn't change a thing.

Anyone can invest in a public company, so they should be public about their business. In fact, it is even required by law that they are public about certain things.

And they are.... very public.

But they were doing nothing wrong, and they "splained" it to the ADL who were being thugs as usual and even trying to get Google to change their search engine to their (the ADL's) satisfaction.

Thugs.

Google has many versions of their SE to satisfy many governments, organizations, and anyone else willing to pay for a customized version of their technology to suite their needs.

The search results you see in the U.S. are not the same as they would be in say China.

If you have money, you can have your own version of Google, Yahoo, or whatever you would like.


Google isn't de-indexing anything or manipulating PR manually or anything, they don't do anything like that.

Nor can ADL's request be considered 'thuggery' or whatever, but hey, that's Mingle.

If it is not thuggery then it is just stupidity.

Probably a bit of both.

Thugs are not too smart.

Google also pays me for advertising on my websites, so I like Google!

Google is the best search engine on the Internet. I hate it when other applications hack into my computer and change my search engine preferences without my permission and I hate it when some Bing search home page appears in my browser.

Business is Business.

Also, the best Browser is Google Chrome. It is so fast.