Google, the go-to resource for all kinds of data on the Internet, has been working to overcome the barriers of journalism. However, it has been criticized for taking advantage of Google Ads to spread fake news.
In addition, the tech giant is accused of setting search engine optimization criteria that harm smaller media outlets by affecting their visibility in search results. This practice makes it difficult for smaller entities to compete well in the virtual space.
The U. S. tech giant identified the challenge and launched the second edition of the Google News Initiative (GNI) in India. This is a program aimed at local news publishers with simple subscriptions, increased ads, and monetization of their formats. The goal is to spice up long-suffering local journalism.
“Chosen out of over 110 applicants from across India, the ten news startups cover a diverse array of categories of journalism, including investigative, political, medical, youth, climate, and local news that provides a voice to underrepresented communities,” said Google in a press release. The media outlets selected this year include Feminism in India, SouthLive, QueerBeat, Ground Report and so on.
Since 2018, Google has been making plans to invest $300 million to combat misinformation, help fact-checkers, and “help journalism thrive in the virtual age. “But the crumbs that Google throws at GNI are enough, especially compared to the profits. Google gets from news content.
A survey conducted through ProPublica in 2022 shows that Google’s lucrative advertising business thrives on misinformation. The investigation, the first of its kind, documented that Google placed classified ads on global sites selling lies about vaccines, Covid-19, climate updates and elections. .
Even the GNI project, introduced to help “quality publications thrive,” is disappointing. Quality independent media outlets remain baffled when Google puts them in a sticky situation with its search engine optimization standards.
Although the company has publicly invested time and money in journalistic initiatives, this is one of the reasons why journalism is suppressed. Google is taking advantage of its dominant position in the market to force news publishers to use their content in the new Google News app, Google’s mobile news app. aggregator, all about accelerated mobile pages (AMP).
The Google News app is designed to keep readers hooked on the summary rather than directing them to the articles’ resources. To participate in the app, news publishers will need to indicate on the dotted line Google’s News Producer Terms of Service, which gives Google the right to use the content. The company has the right to exploit news not only for Google News and its app, but also for anything under Google’s umbrella, also known as “Google Services. “
In addition, Google uses AMP content from news publishers to force its “Google Discover” service, a news aggregator similar to social media. But Google has never negotiated an express license to use news publishers for this content.
Finally, Google search is becoming more and more of a final destination than an indicator of news sites. Google, by flexing its strength in the marketplace, is forcing publishers to settle for new features that keep users glued to Google rather than away from the news sites themselves.
The integration of AdSense in 2003, YouTube in 2006 and similar purchases turned Google into a virtual octopus that allowed it to interfere in everything online: content distribution, advertising, ad placement and the content itself.
The acquisition technique brought billions of dollars into Google’s pockets, but the consequences were felt throughout the media industry. Time and time again, studies have shown how Google hinders journalism. For example, the News Media Alliance’s white paper published in 2022 provides a detailed review of how the company abuses its dominant position. The newspaper also called on Google to compensate publishers for the use of its content.
Google is trying to do the right thing with GNI but it continues to miss the mark as local news struggles to hit the top results. The company is in a dire need of tweaking its algorithms to balance its top results and a change in the way its SEO performs could be a good way to start.
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