There’s no questioning Google’s dominance in the internet. It’s such a massive and familiar presence that the brand’s name has become the word people use to refer to searching for anything online. While this unofficial standardization has plenty of upsides, it also raises questions about Google’s influence on public opinion.
One of the biggest ways Google can influence people’s opinions is through anchoring bias. The anchoring effect is a phenomenon where people are more likely to focus too much on the first piece of information they receive. In search engine terms, users tend to believe the top of the results page more than anything coming afterward.
According to one study,
While searchers focus on the first SERP entry, this source is not necessarily the most reliable. Publications can employ practices to rank higher in SERPs — a practice known as search engine optimization (SEO). Consequently, the information people see first — and therefore believe the most — does not always achieve its position by being accurate.
Similarly, Google can (perhaps unintentionally) sway public opinion because many take its results at face value. Roughly
Despite such a high degree of trust, Google results do not always reflect the truth. Consider how the recent AI Overviews feature
Such a lack of reliability is not necessarily Google’s fault, nor is it intentional. Rather, it comes from AI being prone to errors from biased data or users not following up to see where information in a featured snippet or AI Overview comes from.
Google’s personalization features can also influence users’ opinions. Many searches tailor SERPs to individuals and situations, especially when real-time factors like someone’s location would affect their desired results. This function is meant to ensure SERPs are as relevant as possible, but it risks creating echo chambers.
After a user clicks enough links from a certain site or searches enough slanted questions, their results for future searches will adapt to their behavior. As a result, they may see an increase in information aligning with the views of things they’ve interacted with previously. That, in turn, creates a cycle of reinforcing a narrow point of view while leaving out diverse perspectives.
Interestingly, personalization applies even when people use Incognito Mode. While it does remove some tracking features, it
While it may not mean to, Google can influence public opinion through its search results. That has several implications for enterprises and consumers.
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It also means organizations should be careful about the information they put online. Anything ranking high enough could sway public opinion, which gives the authors an immense responsibility to remain unbiased and accurate. Trying to game the system to drive traffic while offering unreliable information could result in significant backlash once people discover the breach of trust.
Conversely, those providing accurate details who reach top SERP spots could greatly improve their public image. As Google tries to refine its results to keep things unbiased and reliable, it’ll likely reward greater attention to detail.
Google’s sway over people’s beliefs also deserves attention from the average internet user. It’s important to be mindful of how things like anchoring bias and personalized results can make things seem more trustworthy than they may be. Once users recognize how their use of Google can impact what they see, they can take actions to prevent missteps.
One of the most crucial things to keep in mind is Google results are not infallible. Always check multiple sources to get the full picture, and be sure to scroll beyond the first few results, too. Reading an entire article in context and seeing where their information comes from instead of taking headlines at face value is likewise critical.
Thankfully, the public is starting to wake up to the reality of biased or unreliable search results. A HackerNoon poll found
Google’s impact on public opinion is undeniable. Whether this influence is good or bad may vary, and it may not always be intentional on Google’s part. However, it is worth recognizing for brands and users alike.