A study by MRC Free Speech America reveals that Google enhances search results with pro-Harris media coverage, making it harder for users to find organic information on political candidates.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A recent study conducted by MRC Free Speech America has found that Google is reportedly padding its search results to favor political candidates like Kamala Harris while suppressing organic links for opponents, such as Donald Trump. According to the findings, Google displays media reports from establishment outlets, which have been shown to support Harris, at the top of search results. This may prevent undecided voters from accessing neutral or organic content when searching for information on candidates.
MRC Free Speech America analyzed two specific search phrases—”Donald Trump presidential race 2024″ and “Kamala Harris presidential race 2024″—to gauge how Google positions candidates’ content in its search rankings. Researchers found that Democrat-aligned outlets such as The New York Times and CNN dominated the top spots in both searches. Notably, when users searched for Trump-related content, they encountered seven articles from left-leaning sources before finding Trump’s campaign website, which appeared sixth on the results page. News articles from sources like The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post were prominently featured.
Gabriela Pariseau, a reporter for MRC News Busters, emphasized how Google’s search results prioritize left-wing media content: “Now the search giant very clearly pads its search results about political candidates with leftist legacy news articles, many of which are hostile to Republicans and either neutral or favorable toward Democrats.” She added that users have to sift through biased coverage before accessing candidate websites or neutral commentary.
This search engine behavior is not isolated to Google. A 2024 Media Research Center study found that television networks gave Kamala Harris 84% positive coverage since she launched her campaign, while Donald Trump received 89% negative coverage. MRC Free Speech America’s findings further suggest that media platforms and tech giants are influencing voter perception by controlling the information most easily accessible to the public.
MRC researchers also found that during the Trump-Harris debate cycle, media outlets allied with Democrats, such as ABC News, provided disproportionately favorable coverage to Harris. Analysts also reported that debate moderators were praised for their performance, with The Washington Post opinion writer Jennifer Rubin declaring, “I will say it—ABC moderators have exceeded expectations.”
This kind of media influence is widely recognized among the public. A 2023 survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that six out of ten Americans blame establishment media for spreading misinformation, with approximately three-quarters believing that the media contributes to political polarization. Many voters also expressed low trust in the accuracy and fairness of news reporting.
The study has renewed concerns over the role of big tech and legacy media in shaping public opinion during election cycles. With over half of Americans distrusting the media, critics argue that search engines like Google may be inadvertently—or deliberately—amplifying biased coverage. MRC Free Speech America’s report on Google’s alleged election interference can be found here.
Leave a Comment