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

von Nordheim, Gerret and Bettels-Schwabbauer, Tina and Kleinen-von Königslöw, Katharina and Barczyszyn-Madziarz, Paulina and Budivska, Halyna and Di Salvo, Philip and Dingerkus, Filip and Guazina, Liziane Soares and Krobea Asante, Kwaku and Kuś, Michał and Lábová, Sandra and Matei, Antonia and Merkovity, Norbert and Paulino, Fernando Oliveira and Petrovszki-Oláh, László and Serwornoo, Michael Yao Wodui and Valente, Jonas and Wake, Alexandra and Zakinszky Toma, Viktória (2024) The different worlds of Google : A comparison of search results on conspiracy theories in 12 countries. CONVERGENCE: THE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH INTO NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES, 30 (6). pp. 2267-2286. ISSN 1354-8565

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Abstract

Search 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 12 Western 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.

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