Google unintentionally recommends the best sites to watch pirate content

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Searching for 'best torrent sites' on Google's US site brings up a collated list of the most popular sites for illegal streaming, it was revealed yesterday.

The error may come as an embarrassment to the firm, which in February vowed to make it more difficult to for internet users to find illegal streaming websites.

Googling 'torrent sites' or 'best torrent sites' highlights some of the most popular illegal streaming sites, including The Pirate Bay, Rarby and 1337x, according to TorrentFreak.

And clicking on one of the Search results shows more related options for pirate streaming.


Google said the error is an unintended consequence of its Search algorithm, which sifts through possible results to generate 'highlight cards' of the most popular websites.

'These results are generated algorithmically, but in this particular case, do not reflect what we had in mind for this feature, and we are looking into it,' a Google spokesperson told Engadget.

Spoiler

 

[Sasqui]

Just tried it:

 

[Sasqui]

And just for fun...

 

[Papahyooie]

Google is a search engine... if you search, it finds... Why would anybody be surprised at this? And just as importantly, why would Google feel obliged to "fix" it? It isn't broken.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

Searching for 'best torrent sites' on Google's US site brings up a collated list of the most popular sites for illegal streaming, it was revealed yesterday.

The error may come as an embarrassment to the firm, which in February vowed to make it more difficult to for internet users to find illegal streaming websites.

Googling 'torrent sites' or 'best torrent sites' highlights some of the most popular illegal streaming sites, including The Pirate Bay, Rarby and 1337x, according to TorrentFreak.

And clicking on one of the Search results shows more related options for pirate streaming.


Google said the error is an unintended consequence of its Search algorithm, which sifts through possible results to generate 'highlight cards' of the most popular websites.

'These results are generated algorithmically, but in this particular case, do not reflect what we had in mind for this feature, and we are looking into it,' a Google spokesperson told Engadget.

Spoiler

good news so no footy channel required still eh.

when did your bager get pants on n why pink nickers wtf.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

I am expressing myself through the medium of thong.

 

[SaltyFish]

Google is a search engine... if you search, it finds... Why would anybody be surprised at this? And just as importantly, why would Google feel obliged to "fix" it? It isn't broken.

To appease content creators/publishers and their profit margins?

Also, to play Devil's Advocate and to invoke the modern quasi-equivalent of Godwin's Law, replace "pirate content" with "child pornography"...

 

[Vayra86]

To appease content creators/publishers and their profit margins?

Also, to play Devil's Advocate and to invoke the modern quasi-equivalent of Godwin's Law, replace "pirate content" with "child pornography"...

With the minor difference that pirate content has no relation to children having sex.

Content industries like shooting at bugs with cannons, I like Google stepping up for common sense here.

 

[SaltyFish]

With the minor difference that pirate content has no relation to children having sex.

Content industries like shooting at bugs with cannons, I like Google stepping up for common sense here.

Both are basically content that some people would prefer not to be accessible.

Ultimately, people who are smart and/or are determined enough will still find their desired content. So this whole incident is just a minor embarrassment akin to walking into a tree.

 

[Papahyooie]

To appease content creators/publishers and their profit margins?

Also, to play Devil's Advocate and to invoke the modern quasi-equivalent of Godwin's Law, replace "pirate content" with "child pornography"...

I'd be perfectly fine with google indexing such sites... That would make it much easier to catch the bastards.

Also, censoring searches is a slippery slope... I mean obviously Google reserves the right to not show search results for whatever they like, but censoring dangerous information leads to censoring privileged information, which leads to censoring subversive information, which leads to censoring of... you get the point. Sure, Google can choose what to display, but every step takes them further away from being a bastion of free information.

 

[micropage7]

Actually its normal since google index it.. Its like what the most people searching for then you gonna find it on the first page.

 

[qubit]

Let's see how long this thread lasts before it gets deleted. Shame.

 

[erocker]

Google is sorry they aren't censoring things. Seems backwards.

 

[cdawall]

This thread is a very different outcry from this exact forum vs when Google was "skewing" results...

 

[natr0n]

Private invite only sites are the best.

 

[Jetster]

there are allot worse thing you can search for then best torrent sites. Google has nothing to explain.

 

[qubit]

Google is sorry they aren't censoring things. Seems backwards.

Glad this thread is still here and I echo that sentiment.

 

[Vya Domus]

So before when Google was intentionally filtering out stuff people thought it wasn't OK and now it should be in this case ?

So whats the logic ? Well I kind of know what is. Google is just trying to please some media giants. Nothing exciting here.

 

[jboydgolfer]

This is why providing factual search results can't be biased. Because by definition if you bias the results from fact searching ,they are no longer facts.

no matter how unpopular the facts may be, they are STILL facts. im compelled to post some Facts of things as an example, but im certain my comment would be deleted for the facts being unpopular. so i digress...think about that.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Life is like a box of Googles, you never know whats censored until you bite into one.