Search engine manipulation effect: Difference between revisions

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{{notability|date=May 2022}}

{{Short description|Effect of search engines on user attitudes}}

The '''search engine manipulation effect''' ('''SEME''') is a term invented by [[psychologist]] [[Robert Epstein]] in 2015 to describe a hypothesized change in [[consumer behaviour|consumer preference]]s and [[voting behaviour|voting preferences]] by search engines. Rather than [[search engine optimization]] where advocates, websites, and businesses seek to optimize their placement in the search engine's algorithm, SEME focuses on the search engine companies themselves. According to Epstein, search engine companies both massively manipulate consumer and vote sentiment, and furthermore do so to ensure their favored candidates win. Epstein’s research shows that such manipulations can shift the voting preferences of undecided voters by 20 percent or more, and up to 80 percent in some demographics, and can change the outcomes in over 25% of national elections.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Crain|first1=Matthew|last2=Nadler|first2=Anthony|date=2019|title=Political Manipulation and Internet Advertising Infrastructure|journal=Journal of Information Policy|volume=9|pages=370–410|doi=10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0370|jstor=10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0370|s2cid=214217187|issn=2381-5892|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=poli>{{Cite web|title = How Google Could Rig the 2016 Election|url = https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/how-google-could-rig-the-2016-election-121548/|access-date = 2015-08-24|first = Robert|last = Epstein |date=August 19, 2015 |publisher=Politico.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Epstein|first1=Robert|last2=Robertson|first2=Ronald E.|date=2015-08-18|title=The search engine manipulation effect (SEME) and its possible impact on the outcomes of elections|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=112|issue=33|pages=E4512–E4521|doi=10.1073/pnas.1419828112|issn=0027-8424|pmc=4547273|pmid=26243876|bibcode=2015PNAS..112E4512E|doi-access=free}}</ref>

In response to the allegations, [[Google]] denied re-ranking search results to manipulate user sentiment, or tweaking ranking specially for elections or political candidates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/google-2016-election-121766/|title=A Flawed Elections Conspiracy Theory|website=POLITICO Magazine|date=26 August 2015 |access-date=2016-04-02}}</ref>

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* {{Cite journal|title = The search engine manipulation effect (SEME) and its possible impact on the outcomes of elections|journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|date = 2015-08-18|issn = 0027-8424|pmid = 26243876|pages = E4512–E4521|volume = 112|issue = 33|doi = 10.1073/pnas.1419828112|first1 = Robert|last1 = Epstein |author-link1=Robert Epstein|first2 = Ronald E.|last2 = Robertson|pmc=4547273|bibcode = 2015PNAS..112E4512E|doi-access = free}}

* {{Cite news|url=https://promarket.org/unprecedented-power-digital-platforms-control-opinions-votes/|title=The Unprecedented Power of Digital Platforms to Control Opinions and Votes -|last=Epstein|first=Robert|date=2018-04-12|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-US}}

* How to Avoid [https://eartdigital.com/seo-manipulation/ SEO Manipulation]

[[Category:Internet search engines]]