DRUDGE: Sophisticated 'Google Bombing' Campaign Targets 50 Republicans...

New York Times ^ | October 26, 2006 | TOM ZELLER

[FreedomProtector]

October 26, 2006
A New Campaign Tactic: Manipulating Google Data
By TOM ZELLER Jr.

If things go as planned for liberal bloggers in the next few weeks, searching Google for “Jon Kyl,” the Republican senator from Arizona now running for re-election, will produce high among the returns a link to an April 13 article from The Phoenix New Times, an alternative weekly.

Mr. Kyl “has spent his time in Washington kowtowing to the Bush administration and the radical right,” the article suggests, “very often to the detriment of Arizonans.”

Searching Google for “Peter King,” the Republican congressman from Long Island, would bring up a link to a Newsday article headlined “King Endorses Ethnic Profiling.”

Fifty or so other Republican candidates have also been made targets in a sophisticated “Google bombing” campaign intended to game the search engine’s ranking algorithms. By flooding the Web with references to the candidates and repeatedly cross-linking to specific articles and sites on the Web, it is possible to take advantage of Google’s formula and force those articles to the top of the list of search results.

The project was originally aimed at 70 Republican candidates but was scaled back to roughly 50 because Chris Bowers, who conceived it, thought some of the negative articles too partisan.

The articles to be used “had to come from news sources that would be widely trusted in the given district,” said Mr. Bowers, a contributor at MyDD.com (Direct Democracy), a liberal group blog. “We wanted actual news reports so it would be clear that we weren’t making anything up.”

Each name is associated with one article. Those articles are embedded in hyperlinks that are now being distributed widely among the left-leaning blogosphere.

[FreedomProtector]

Misinfornmation, the dims stock in trade.

The thought did cross my mind...
If not misinformation, I wonder how fast they will change their algorithm...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=John+Kyl

[3AngelaD]

So they are admitting that the only way they think they can win is by misrepresentation?

[Seattle Conservative]

Just out of curiosity, I entered Jon Kyl in search on msn (which is the search engine I normally use). Here's what came up on the 1st page:

Results
Kyl, Jon - Arizona - Official Senate Site
Learn about the legislative priorities and committee assignments of this U.S. Senator, obtain his address, and read his biography.

www.senate.gov/~kyl
United States Senator Jon Kyl
Official site, including his weekly column, legislative positions and status, news, and also resources for constituents, students, educators, and the media, plus biography, contact details, newspaper ...

kyl.senate.gov · Cached page
About Jon Kyl
U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) Biography. Jon Kyl was elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona in 1994 and re-elected in 2000, after having served four terms in the U.S

kyl.senate.gov/constit_center/about.cfm · Cached page
Show more results from "kyl.senate.gov".
Jon Kyl for US Senate
Senator John McCain recently joined more than 500 Arizona veterans in endorsing Jon Kyl.

www.jonkyl.com · 10/24/2006 · Cached page
Jon Kyl for US Senate
CAN ARIZONA AFFORD JIM PEDERSON? Click here to see Jim Pederson's Virtual Voting Record—an analysis of votes where Pederson has criticized Senator Kyl which demonstrate how ...

www.jonkyl.com/default.aspx · Cached page
Show more results from "www.jonkyl.com".
Jon Kyl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
edit ] Background. Kyl was born in Oakland, Nebraska , the son of John Kyl , a U.S. Representative for Iowa . Kyl earned a bachelor's degree in 1964 from the University of Arizona , graduating with ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kyl · 10/23/2006 · Cached page
Jon Kyl on the Issues
The Arizona Senator's voting record and positions on a wide range of matters.

www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Jon_Kyl.htm · 10/25/2006 · Cached page
Jon Kyl - Congresspedia
Bio. Kyl was born April 25, 1942, Oakland, Nebraska. He graduated from the University of Arizona with honors. Before entering politics, he was a lawyer and lobbyist with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon in ...

www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jon_Kyl · Cached page
Double-Talk Express
WASHINGTON : JON KYL: A WASHINGTON STORY : CONTACT : Paid for by Pederson 2006.

www.doubletalkexpress.com · Cached page
TIME.com: Jon Kyl: The Operator -- Page 1
i>America's 10 Best Senators</i> ... Posted Friday, Apr. 14, 2006. Many junior senators waste away in the shadow cast by a giant senior ...

www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1183960,00.html

[Ingtar]

I Google names at times to find their official site.

[shield]

You think this is goin' to work? The rats are desperate and will pull under handed crapola until the election. They can NO longer cheat to the volume that kept them in the majority with voter fraud.

[LS]

For many voters, supporting "ethnic profiling" would be a plus.

[FreedomProtector]

Am I the only one to believe that after all is said and done, the GOP will not only hold the House and the Senate but widen their lead as well.

No. You not the only one. I believe this phrase will be added to American vernacular for at least the next 100 years.

"measuring the drapes"
.... will be on par with
"counting your chickens before they hatch"

[Prime Choice]

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the left: deny others freedom and a voice. Shout down your opponents, squash debate and free speech while at the same time accusing your opponent of doing it. The leftists have no ideas, no morals, no ethics, and no vision. So therefor, all the left does is launch "Google bombs", sophomoric campaign ads, and hate mongering news conferences.

Indeed. And it was precisely these tactics that allowed the National Socialists to rise to power in Germany in the 1930s. The Leftists here understand this and emulate their fascist predecessors well.

[FreedomProtector]

If it is misinformation it is bad for the NY Times.

Works for me.

[Corin Stormhands]

Am I the only one to believe that after all is said and done, the GOP will not only hold the House and the Senate but widen their lead as well.

From your post to God's ears.

[edzo4]

What? Something can be "too partisan" for liberals? That is almost an oxymoron....

yes anything from the conservative point of view is "too paritsan" for the left

[RoseD]

You got it, google is boycotted!

[dc-zoo]

This ny times article is false. I've googled several of the names mentioned and the results are normal.

[pollyannaish]

Am I the only one to believe that after all is said and done, the GOP will not only hold the House and the Senate but widen their lead as well. Nope. I believe.

[FreedomProtector]

This ny times article is false.

In other news the sun will rise tomorrow.

[AmericaUnite]

Bump. What can be done to expose &/or counter this?

[Graymatter]

I don't use Google. Don't watch tv either. Or send the kid to public school. I wouldn't read the NYT free in the public library.

[FreedomProtector]

This ny times article is false. I've googled several of the names mentioned and the results are normal.

Many NY Times articles are false, and this one probably is as well.

It should be noted that a search engine can change the algorithm minute to minute, day to day, and one sample at the current time does not invalidate the story for all periods of time before the election.

[ElPatriota]

You know, I like/use google a lot!...no wonder they are filthy rich. but since they decided to become political... I will jump ship as soon as a new one come along...just to scr-- them :)

In the mean time I will start using Yahoo more... especially when buying stuff online, which I do quite often. :) (that will hurt goodle)

[caver]

The liberals I know don't have enough sense or curiosity to Google a Republican candidate. They already believe that Bush is evil and all conservatives are too. I don't see how this will have any effect. It's like preaching to the choir.