Google Could Determine the Next President of the United States

Newly released research shows just how powerful Google is in determining how individuals form opinions. 

Research psychologist Robert Epstein conducted a study along with Ronald E. Robertson to look at just how much Google's search results can influence how Americans vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Epstein explains the team's findings in POLITICO Magazine, and says "Google’s search algorithm can easily shift the voting preferences of undecided voters by 20 percent or more—up to 80 percent in some demographic groups—with virtually no one knowing they are being manipulated."

During the experiment, participants were separated into three groups where search results would favor Candidate A, Candidate B or neither. Participants were briefed on the candidates and asked their opinions about who they would vote for. Next they would be allowed 15 minutes to research the candidates on a Google-like search engine.

All participants had access to the same results, they were just sorted and ranked differently.

Favorability shifted toward the Candidate with the highest ranking search results.

Epstein writes, "More than 75 percent of online search in the United States is conducted on Google, and in most other countries that proportion is 90 percent. That means that if Google’s CEO, a rogue employee or even just the search algorithm itself favors one candidate, there is no way to counteract that influence."