Google seems to be hiding coronavirus search terms in the Play Store

Input Magazine ^ | 3/4/20 | Matthew Wille

[null and void]

A brute force method to fight misinformation.

Google is hiding Play Store search results for both “coronavirus” and “COVID-19,” as first spotted by 9to5Google. Searches for these terms with other keywords like “map” or “tracker” no longer yield any results, either. Google has not made any formal announcement about these search terms being disabled, so we can’t count out the possibility that this is a bug of some sort.

Misinformation about the spread of the novel coronavirus can crop up in even the most unlikely of places — so making it harder to access fake information is pivotal in the fight against the virus itself. But was hiding all search results the best way to do so?

No results at all, even real ones — If Google did disable these search terms, it’s an intense move to remove all results from the Play Store. That means even real apps with helpful information, like the official CDC app or the one China created to assess the risk of contracting the virus, cannot be found via these searches.

Lazy strategy? — Google’s strategy here is somewhat puzzling. Rather than being presented with only verified information, Android users won’t be able to find any information at all. The most useful solution would be for Google to more closely monitor the apps being uploaded to the Play Store, thereby giving it the chance to catch any apps spreading misinformation.

But that would take a large number of resources. The company may have just found it easier to disable these searches completely.

Google needs to update its upload policies — This isn’t the first time Google has faced issues with rogue apps being uploaded to its Play Store. Just last month the company had to remove more than 600 apps with “disruptive ads” from the Play Store — apps that probably should have never made it into the store in the first place for violating Google policies.

If the only viable option is to disable certain searches completely, maybe it’s a sign that Google needs to put more effort into screening new apps before putting them out for users to download.

[null and void]

Don't Be Evil...

[null and void]

Keeping it unreal, no matter how many lives it costs...

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

If a quarantine saves just one child's life, it's worth it.

[fuente]

Use Duckduckgo and be done with it.

[LucyT]

.

PING

[Truthoverpower]

Love your posts Null and void!

[null and void]

I do. I’ve avoided google ever since I watched in mounting horror as they “disappeared” over half a million image search results for “obama birth certificate” in mid-July 2008.

[FreedomPoster]

A useful resource for others on that path:

https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/

[Mariner]

There are people on FR that would censor all virus articles except the happy talk.

Why would Google be any different?

[bgill]

Tried several times and still don’t like the ducky.

Have noticed more and more each day it is getting harder to search for current CV info. on google.

[Sam Gamgee]

I remember an article linked here a month or so ago where the Chinese said they were going to meddle in the USA election to stop Trump. Did Google wipe the search results because I can’t find an article on Google about it?

[LucyT]

Try this one:

https://www.startpage.com/

[LouieFisk]

“the official CDC app or the one China created to assess the risk of contracting the virus, cannot be found via these searches. “
If I’m looking for the CDC app, I’d type “CDC” - multiple result, including.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.cdc.general&hl=en_US

[LouieFisk]

“Why would Google be any different?”
—
I can see why they might not want to have a couple hundred “Crazy Irving’s 1000 & 1 Surefire Coronavirus Cures” type apps. Potential lawsuits from users who trusted such things alone could be a discouraging factor.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Bkmrk

[Jeff Chandler]

I could not replicate the (lack of) search results asserted in this article.

[Monkey Face]

I don’t use Goober anyway, since I found DuckDuckgo and Mojeek.

I loathe Goober, and I try very hard to avoid anything connected with it. Getting harder as time goes by, that.

[null and void]

Good

[fuente]

yup...Big diff using the duck.

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

the possibility that this is a bug of some sort

I wholly discount the possibility that any anomalous behavior on Google as being anything other than wholly intentional.

[null and void]

It's not a bug. It's the key feature of google!