Google Combats ISIS through Limiting Related Search Results

Google Combats ISIS through Limiting Related Search Results
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Google Combats ISIS through Limiting Related Search Results

Google Combats ISIS through Limiting Related Search Results

The spokesman for the global coalition to defeat ISIS announced that May witnessed a drop of 92 percent in Twitter links that take users to pro-ISIS websites.

He told al-Hurra television on Friday that the coalition had set up a hashtag on Twitter aimed at directing users to ways to inform officials of any pro-ISIS content.

The hashtag explains that users are capable of defeating ISIS through the click of a button. If a user sees any ISIS content, they should click on the associated hashtag icon and they will be presented with a guide on how to counter the content.

The same method can be applied to Facebook.

Last week, Google unveiled new technology aimed at decreasing the user access to terrorist videos posted on the internet. This technology was a result of efforts by social media giants Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which is owned by Google.

A YouTube spokesman explained that when people usually search for a specific video on YouTube, they write a keyword or a number of keywords into a search engine. What usually happens is that the desired video appears in the results. According to the new technology however, a short video about terrorism and terrorists appears in the results in order to warn the user against heading to a certain website or viewing a certain video.

He said that a redirect video appears when a user searches for terrorist or terror-linked videos.

This technology was used to combat racism on YouTube, he revealed. This same method could also be used in the war against terrorism.

In March, several major US companies withdrew their ads from YouTube in protest against it allowing racist, sexual and unethical videos from being posted on its platform. These companies included telecommunications giant Verizon and medical product heavyweight Johnson and Johnson.

The new technology was however criticized by free speech organizations. Executive Director of the Washington-based Center for Digital Democracy Jeff Chester said it was clear that ad companies are exploiting the war against violence, discrimination and terrorism to influence content on social media. This means that the credibility and neutrality of these sites is affected.

Google, on the other hand, considered that searching for principles of Islam could lead the user to sites connected to hate groups that promote violence instead of tolerance. The company therefore became meticulous in displaying results linked to Islam in order to prevent the promotion of wrong information about the religion. This will help limit misinterpretations of the religion, including its teachings on jihad and Sharia.

Several users, especially western ones, connect Islam to terrorist crimes, even though several Muslims in the West are often the victims of racist and hate crimes.

Google relied on mathematical algorithms to assess the search results and determine whether they are offensive to religion or not. If so, the search engine would prevent the display of the offensive websites in the search results. Users had in the past come across numerous websites that are filled with incorrect information on religion when using, for example, “jihad” and “Sharia” in keyword searches.

In addition, Google altered its autofill service, wherein in the past when a user typed in “does Islam…” in the search box, the autofill technology in the past would have completed the inquiry with “… permit terrorism?” The autofill result of “do Muslim women … need saving?” is also now a thing of the past with the new Google technology.

Google had adopted this same approach in combating discrimination against Christianity and Judaism.

Last week, YouTube implemented a new method of countering terrorism by redirecting users searching for violent and extremist content towards anti-ISIS videos. Aimed at targeting terrorist thought before its inception, instead of displaying ISIS videos, the user is shown a video of former ISIS members recounting the details of their ordeal when they were part of the terrorist group. They are also redirected to discussions by religious figures, speaking against extremist ideology.



Google-parent Alphabet Earnings Shine with Help of AI

Google parent company Alphabet's cloud computing business is on pace to bring in $50 billion over the course of 2025, according to the tech giant. Manaure Quintero / AFP
Google parent company Alphabet's cloud computing business is on pace to bring in $50 billion over the course of 2025, according to the tech giant. Manaure Quintero / AFP
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Google-parent Alphabet Earnings Shine with Help of AI

Google parent company Alphabet's cloud computing business is on pace to bring in $50 billion over the course of 2025, according to the tech giant. Manaure Quintero / AFP
Google parent company Alphabet's cloud computing business is on pace to bring in $50 billion over the course of 2025, according to the tech giant. Manaure Quintero / AFP

Google-parent Alphabet on Wednesday reported quarterly profits that topped expectations, saying artificial intelligence has boosted every part of its business.

Alphabet's second-quarter profit of $28.2 billion -- on $96.4 billion in revenue -- came with word that the tech giant will spend $10 billion more than it previously planned this year on capital expenditures, as it invests to meet growing demand for cloud services.

"We had a standout quarter, with robust growth across the company," said Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai.

"AI is positively impacting every part of the business, driving strong momentum."

Revenue from search grew double digits in the quarter, with features such as AI Overviews and the recently launched AI mode "performing well," according to Pichai.

Ad revenue at YouTube continues to grow along with the video platform's subscription services, Alphabet reported.

Alphabet's cloud computing business is on pace to bring in $50 billion over the course of the year, according to the company.

"With this strong and growing demand for our cloud products and services, we are increasing our investment in capital expenditures in 2025 to approximately $85 billion and are excited by the opportunity ahead," Pichai said.

Alphabet shares were up nearly 2 percent in after-market trades that followed the release of the earnings figures.

Investors have been watching closely to see whether the tech giant may be pouring too much money into artificial intelligence and whether AI-generated summaries of search results will translate into fewer opportunities to serve up money-making ads.

The internet giant is dabbling with ads in its new AI Mode for online search, a strategic move to fend off competition from ChatGPT while adapting its advertising business for an AI age.

The integration of advertising has been a key question accompanying the rise of generative AI chatbots, which have largely avoided interrupting the user experience with marketing messages.

However, advertising remains Google's financial bedrock.

"Google is doing well despite tariff headwinds and rising AI competition in search," said eMarketer principal analyst Yory Wurmser.

"It's also successfully monetizing AI Overviews and AI Mode, a good sign for the future."

Google and rivals are spending billions of dollars on data centers and more for AI, while the rise of lower-cost model DeepSeek from China raises questions about how much needs to be spent.

Antitrust battles

Meanwhile the online ad business that generates the cash Google invests in its future could be neutered due to a defeat in a US antitrust case.

During the summer of 2024, Google was found guilty of illegal practices to establish and maintain its monopoly in online search by a federal judge in Washington.

The Justice Department is now demanding remedies that could transform the digital landscape: Google's divestiture from its Chrome browser and a ban on entering exclusivity agreements with smartphone manufacturers to install the search engine by default.

District Judge Amit Mehta is considering "remedies" in a decision expected in the coming days or weeks.

In another legal battle, a different US judge ruled this year that Google wielded monopoly power in the online ad technology market, another legal blow that could rattle the tech giant's revenue engine.

District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google built an illegal monopoly over ad software and tools used by publishers.

Combined, the courtroom defeats have the potential to leave Google split up and its influence curbed.

Google said it is appealing both rulings.