“The different worlds of Google”

The different worlds of Google – A comparison of search results on conspiracy theories in 12 countries

Authors: Gerret von Nordheim (Twitter/X), Tina Bettels-Schwabbauer, Katharina Königslöw, Paulina Barczyszyn-Madziarz, Halyna Budivska, Philip Salvo, Filip Dingerkus, Liziane Guazina, Kwaku Asante, Michał Kuś, Sandra Lábová, Antonia Matei, Norbert Merkovity, Fernando Paulino, László Petrovszki-Oláh, Michael Serwornoo, Jonas Valente, Alexandra Wake, and Viktória Toma

Journal: Convergence
Year: 2023
DOI: 10.1177/13548565231203102

Keywords: Comparative research, conspiracy theories, digital divide, Google, information inequality, search engine

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.