NOT the way to go, BRO! Duck Duck Go CEO blasted for bragging about how they’re now manipulating search results
http://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2022/03/10/not-the-way-to-go-bro-duck-duck-go-ceo-blasted-for-bragging-about-how-theyre-now-manipulating-search-results/
Welp, sounds like Duck Duck Go is going to Google itself right out of favor with their users. Most people who use Duck Duck Go do so because they don’t want Big Tech giants manipulating their search results.
And that’s exactly what Duck Duck Go’s CEO bragged about doing on Twitter.
Because MUH RUSSIA.
Gabriel Weinberg ~ Like so many others I am sickened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the gigantic humanitarian crisis it continues to create. #StandWithUkraine️
At DuckDuckGo, we've been rolling out search updates that down-rank sites associated with Russian disinformation.
So because he’s sickened by Russia invading Ukraine, he’s happily pushing the manipulation of search results, down-voting ‘misinformation’ and that immediately sends up a red flag. Who gets to decide what is and isn’t misinformation? Shouldn’t they just leave that up to the user?
Bad bad bad.
Gabriel Weinberg ~ In addition to down-ranking sites associated with disinformation, we also often place news modules and information boxes at the top of DuckDuckGo search results (where they are seen and clicked the most) to highlight quality information for rapidly unfolding topics.
In other words, they are making decisions for their users on what they believe is ‘high quality’ information.
Again, WHO decides what is and isn’t high quality?
Gabriel Weinberg ~ DuckDuckGo's mission is to make simple privacy protection accessible to all. Privacy is a human right and transcends politics, which is why about 100 million people around the world use DuckDuckGo. (We don't have an exact count since we don't track people.)
Simple privacy ... while controlling what people see in their search results.
Dude.
Max ~ How do you define “Russian disinformation”?
Can we see the updates?
Geoffrey Miller ~ This is not the way bro. We no longer trust anyone to decide for us what is 'misinformation'. Let us make our own calls about that. Otherwise you're just another tentacle for some Ministry of Truth.
...
Start of a slippery slope?
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