The different worlds of Google – A comparison of search results on conspiracy theories in 12 countries

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dc.contributor.authorNordheim, Gerret vonen_US
dc.contributor.authorBettels-Schwabbaue, Tinaen_US
dc.contributor.authorKleinen-von Konigslow, Katharinaen_US
dc.contributor.authorBarczyszyn-Madziarz, Paulinaen_US
dc.contributor.authorBudivska, Halynaen_US
dc.contributor.authorDi Salvo, Philipen_US
dc.contributor.authorDingerkus, Filipen_US
dc.contributor.authorGuazina, Liziane Soaresen_US
dc.contributor.authorAsante, Kwaku Krobeaen_US
dc.contributor.authorKu´s, Michałen_US
dc.contributor.authorL´abov´a, Sandraen_US
dc.contributor.authorMatei, Antoniaen_US
dc.contributor.authorMerkovity, Norberten_US
dc.contributor.authorPaulino, Fernando Oliveiraen_US
dc.contributor.authorPetrovszki-Ol´ah, L´aszlóen_US
dc.contributor.authorWodui Serwornoo, Michael Yaoen_US
dc.contributor.authorValente, Jonasen_US
dc.contributor.authorWake, Alexandraen_US
dc.contributor.authorZakinszky, Toma Viktóriaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-26T11:57:23Z
dc.date.available2025-02-26T11:57:23Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractSearch engines play an important role in the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories, accentuating the power of global platform companies such as Google to contribute to the digital (information) divide by providing search results of lesser quality in certain countries.We investigated this phenomenon by asking what kind of results users see when they search for information on eleven popular conspiracy theories (CTs) via Google. We analysed links from Google search results (N = 1259) in 12Western and non-Western countries and 10 languages. Overall, users are more likely to encounter neutral or debunking content when using Google to search for prominent CTs. However, for some CTs, strong country differences in the quality of search results emerge, showing clear correlations between categorical inequalities and unequal access to reliable information. In countries where journalists enjoy less freedom, people enjoy fewer democratic rights and are less able to rely on social elites, Google also provides less enlightening content on CTs than in developed and prosperous democracies. The countries thus disadvantaged are precisely those countries where there is a high propensity to believe in CTs according to comparative survey research. However, in countries where a global language is spoken, for example, English or Portuguese, there is no correlation between structural, country-specific factors and the quality of search results. In this sense, structurally disadvantaged countries seem to benefit from belonging to a larger language community.en_US
dc.identifier.citationThe different worlds of Google – A comparison of search results on conspiracy theories in 12 countries / Gerret von Nordheim, Tina Bettels-Schwabbaue, Katharina Kleinen-von Konigslow, Paulina Barczyszyn-Madziarz, Halyna Budivska [et al.] // Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies. - 2024. - Vol. 30, Issue 6. - P. 2267–2286. - https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231203102en_US
dc.identifier.issn1354-8565
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231203102
dc.identifier.urihttps://ekmair.ukma.edu.ua/handle/123456789/33726
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.relation.sourceConvergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologiesen_US
dc.statusfirst publisheden_US
dc.subjectcomparative researchen_US
dc.subjectconspiracy theoriesen_US
dc.subjectdigital divideen_US
dc.subjectGoogleen_US
dc.subjectinformation inequalityen_US
dc.subjectsearch engineen_US
dc.subjectarticleen_US
dc.titleThe different worlds of Google – A comparison of search results on conspiracy theories in 12 countriesen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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