Google: PvdA is antisocial, VVD for the rich & PVV fascist
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 9:46 am
Google is manipulating search results for the 'Conservative Party', The Daily Mail reported earlier this week. Following a tax deal in the UK with the Conservative-led government, Google is said to have 'spruced up' the 'auto-suggest results' for the Conservatives. At first glance, it may seem that way, but it is probably not.
How does this work in the Netherlands; are there also such pronounced 'auto-suggest results' for the various political parties here? And what causes these results? Does Google really manipulate the results, as The Daily Mail indicated? The suggestions that Google gives do not come out of the blue, but are based on user searches, among other things. I will first give examples of search results for the political parties in the Netherlands.
PvdA (is antisocial)
In addition to much confusion (are they left or right?) it is stated that the PvdA 'is no longer a left-wing party' and at the same time 'antisocial' and 'socialist'. There are quite a few contradictions, but that is not surprising if you govern with a coalition partner who is on the other side of the political spectrum. That coalition partner experiences the same problems.
Google 1
Google 2VVD (is for the rich)
The 'VVD is for the rich', a reputation the party has had for decades and is also reflected here. At the same time, it is shown that the VVD is 'not liberal', a reproach that is often made against this party. Here too, the question is asked whether the VVD is left or right.
Google 3
PVV (is fascist)
The PVV is 'left-wing', 'fascist' and 'not bolivia telegram number list a party'. Fascism is a rather serious accusation, but one that is nevertheless often used. Because the party has only one member, Geert Wilders himself, it is also often said that it is 'not a party', meaning that it is not a party according to the classic definition of a political party. However, the search suggestion 'PVV is not a party according to the classic definition of a classic political party' is a bit long. The PVV is a left-wing party in many ways, that suggestion is not surprising, but the suggestion 'PVV has become Muslim' is. Although this could be the result of deliberate manipulation, it is more likely that this is because former PVV member Arnoud van Doorn has become Muslim.
Google 4
D66 (is an anti-religious party)
D66 is an 'anti-religious party'. A-religious would be a more fitting definition. After all, unlike some other parties, the party has no religious affiliation. That does not make the party a party that fights religion, however. In that respect, it is funny that the last suggestion says that the party is 'radicalizing', whatever that may mean for a political party (Alexander Pechtold leaving for Raqqa to set up a parliament there?). D66 certainly sees itself as a liberal party, with some of the party's views being 'right-wing', so two logical search suggestions.
Google 5
GreenLeft (is right)
Yes, what kind of party is GroenLinks? Right-wing or social-democratic? And how did they come into being? There seems to be a lot of confusion about the party, although those who typed 'Groenlinks is rechts' into Google should scratch their heads. Based on the name, they should have known better.
Google 6
CDA (is Christian Union)
The CDA is a centrist party, but predominantly right-wing: a logical suggestion. Where the party originated from and what CDA is an abbreviation for, are all logical questions that Google users apparently often have. However, 'CDA is ChristenUnie' is a strange suggestion. The CDA is not the ChristenUnie, just another Christian party. Perhaps some voters are confused about this. ChristenUnie also starts with a C and it may not be clear to the public what the abbreviation CDA stands for, perhaps the first C comes from ChristenUnie?
Google 7
SGP (has become socially acceptable)
Left, right, it is clear that people in the Netherlands think in boxes. With the SGP, the question about left/right that comes up almost everywhere. But also the suggestion that the SGP has become 'socially acceptable'. Socially acceptable is quite a 'difficult' word. Only a few people use it, let alone type it (with umlaut). If 'SGP is' is chosen instead of 'the SGP is', the suggestions will be in English and Google will give another indication as to why it is giving certain suggestions. The long sentences such as ' SGP is currently financed with 30 debt at a rate of 10' (Google does not use % signs in the suggestions) not only do not relate to the financing of this political party, but are also not copies of previously frequently filled in search queries by users.
Google 8
Google 9
Operation
How do these suggestions come about? Google itself says the following about it: “Predictions from the Autocomplete feature are selected by an algorithm without human intervention. The algorithm is based on a number of factors, such as how often users have searched for a term in the past. The algorithm is designed to reflect the breadth of information on the web. The search terms displayed may therefore be strange or surprising, just like other content on the internet.”
Strangely and surprisingly, some are certainly and without a doubt also based on how often users have searched for a term in the past. Search queries such as 'CDA is ChristenUnie' and ' SGP is machine manufacturer for mushroom cultivation ' suggest that there is more at play than a sum of past searches. Location also plays no role in the search for the names of political parties; we see no suggestions that seem to be based on this. The use of Google.nl, the location in the Netherlands and the Google account you may be logged into do ensure that most results are in Dutch. But how does ' machine manafacturer for mushroom cultivation ' end up in the suggestions?
How does this work in the Netherlands; are there also such pronounced 'auto-suggest results' for the various political parties here? And what causes these results? Does Google really manipulate the results, as The Daily Mail indicated? The suggestions that Google gives do not come out of the blue, but are based on user searches, among other things. I will first give examples of search results for the political parties in the Netherlands.
PvdA (is antisocial)
In addition to much confusion (are they left or right?) it is stated that the PvdA 'is no longer a left-wing party' and at the same time 'antisocial' and 'socialist'. There are quite a few contradictions, but that is not surprising if you govern with a coalition partner who is on the other side of the political spectrum. That coalition partner experiences the same problems.
Google 1
Google 2VVD (is for the rich)
The 'VVD is for the rich', a reputation the party has had for decades and is also reflected here. At the same time, it is shown that the VVD is 'not liberal', a reproach that is often made against this party. Here too, the question is asked whether the VVD is left or right.
Google 3
PVV (is fascist)
The PVV is 'left-wing', 'fascist' and 'not bolivia telegram number list a party'. Fascism is a rather serious accusation, but one that is nevertheless often used. Because the party has only one member, Geert Wilders himself, it is also often said that it is 'not a party', meaning that it is not a party according to the classic definition of a political party. However, the search suggestion 'PVV is not a party according to the classic definition of a classic political party' is a bit long. The PVV is a left-wing party in many ways, that suggestion is not surprising, but the suggestion 'PVV has become Muslim' is. Although this could be the result of deliberate manipulation, it is more likely that this is because former PVV member Arnoud van Doorn has become Muslim.
Google 4
D66 (is an anti-religious party)
D66 is an 'anti-religious party'. A-religious would be a more fitting definition. After all, unlike some other parties, the party has no religious affiliation. That does not make the party a party that fights religion, however. In that respect, it is funny that the last suggestion says that the party is 'radicalizing', whatever that may mean for a political party (Alexander Pechtold leaving for Raqqa to set up a parliament there?). D66 certainly sees itself as a liberal party, with some of the party's views being 'right-wing', so two logical search suggestions.
Google 5
GreenLeft (is right)
Yes, what kind of party is GroenLinks? Right-wing or social-democratic? And how did they come into being? There seems to be a lot of confusion about the party, although those who typed 'Groenlinks is rechts' into Google should scratch their heads. Based on the name, they should have known better.
Google 6
CDA (is Christian Union)
The CDA is a centrist party, but predominantly right-wing: a logical suggestion. Where the party originated from and what CDA is an abbreviation for, are all logical questions that Google users apparently often have. However, 'CDA is ChristenUnie' is a strange suggestion. The CDA is not the ChristenUnie, just another Christian party. Perhaps some voters are confused about this. ChristenUnie also starts with a C and it may not be clear to the public what the abbreviation CDA stands for, perhaps the first C comes from ChristenUnie?
Google 7
SGP (has become socially acceptable)
Left, right, it is clear that people in the Netherlands think in boxes. With the SGP, the question about left/right that comes up almost everywhere. But also the suggestion that the SGP has become 'socially acceptable'. Socially acceptable is quite a 'difficult' word. Only a few people use it, let alone type it (with umlaut). If 'SGP is' is chosen instead of 'the SGP is', the suggestions will be in English and Google will give another indication as to why it is giving certain suggestions. The long sentences such as ' SGP is currently financed with 30 debt at a rate of 10' (Google does not use % signs in the suggestions) not only do not relate to the financing of this political party, but are also not copies of previously frequently filled in search queries by users.
Google 8
Google 9
Operation
How do these suggestions come about? Google itself says the following about it: “Predictions from the Autocomplete feature are selected by an algorithm without human intervention. The algorithm is based on a number of factors, such as how often users have searched for a term in the past. The algorithm is designed to reflect the breadth of information on the web. The search terms displayed may therefore be strange or surprising, just like other content on the internet.”
Strangely and surprisingly, some are certainly and without a doubt also based on how often users have searched for a term in the past. Search queries such as 'CDA is ChristenUnie' and ' SGP is machine manufacturer for mushroom cultivation ' suggest that there is more at play than a sum of past searches. Location also plays no role in the search for the names of political parties; we see no suggestions that seem to be based on this. The use of Google.nl, the location in the Netherlands and the Google account you may be logged into do ensure that most results are in Dutch. But how does ' machine manafacturer for mushroom cultivation ' end up in the suggestions?