Google’s smart assistant can describe Satan, but not Jesus

It is claimed that the world’s most powerful search engine is deliberately manipulating search results.

Google produces fact-check reviews of conservative websites in its search results, but not liberal sites, according to The Christian Post.

When a web user looks up right-leaning news sites, Google displays additional information about the site on a sidebar, in what seems like a warning to searchers.

The information includes claims by the site that are alleged to be dubious and links to fact-checking reports. The impression given is that such sites spread unsubstantiated rumours or ‘fake news’.

Of the top 20 conservative sites, 30 per cent were tagged with fact checkers like Snopes, whereas none of the top 20 liberal sites were targeted in this way. Since Christian views and sites are perceived to be right wing in America, Christian content has been caught up in this.

It has also been reported that right-wing employees at Google face a hostile work environment. One former employee has filed a lawsuit contending that the technology giant discriminates against conservative white men.

In the latest twist, Google Home users found that the smart audio technology (similar to Amazon’s Alexa) had no response when asked about Jesus, Jesus Christ or God, but happily gave information on Buddha, Mohammed and Satan.

After complaints, Google Home went silent on all religious leaders, and claimed the technology was not censoring ‘Jesus’ but protecting enquirers from false articles about Jesus on the web. A spokesperson said: “Some of the Assistant’s spoken responses come from the web, and for certain topics, this content can be more vulnerable to vandalism and spam.”

There was no news on whether Google Home had resolved the problem as we went to press.

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