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As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

nytimes.com

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Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#2
By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). However, from a purely algorithmic standpoint, their website has content that should rank very highly:

1) Much of their content is original (i.e. not copy-pasted from other sites)

2) A majority of the page is composed of text, rather than images or ads

3) Where there are ads, they are minimal and largely hidden from view.

4) Their website is well organized, with clear and descriptive links.

5) Their website is updated frequently and new content is posted regularly.

So, assuming that WSWS is linked by other sites on the same topic, it seems that it should rank highly in Google search queries. Maybe there is something else that would reduce their ranking, but it doesn't seem obvious to me at first glance.

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#3
Google isn't doing very well on "socialist". One of the "Top Stories" is WorldNet Daily: "Chilling! Left on brink of socialist victory in U.S. 'We have to have the courage to say something is wrong. This is insanity' Published: 6 days ago" That's not even fake news. That's like news from an alternate universe in which Bernie Sanders won.

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#4
post #2

By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). However, from a purely algorithmic standpoint, their website has content that should rank very highly: 1) Much of their content is original (i.e. not copy-pasted from other sites) 2) A majority of the page is composed of text, rather than images or ads 3) Where there are ads, they are minimal and largely hidden from view. 4) Their web…

None of those things you mentioned are the core of page rank; they're just extra heuristics. None of that matters if they don't get linked by other sites with high page rank.

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#5
post #2

By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). However, from a purely algorithmic standpoint, their website has content that should rank very highly: 1) Much of their content is original (i.e. not copy-pasted from other sites) 2) A majority of the page is composed of text, rather than images or ads 3) Where there are ads, they are minimal and largely hidden from view. 4) Their web…

Spot-checking, and I agree, this doesn't at all seem to be "fake news". Much like the actual communists that I've known, I find myself disagreeing with the opinions, priorities, and judgements, but it doesn't seem to be misleading or mischaracterizing the truth.

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#6
post #2

By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). However, from a purely algorithmic standpoint, their website has content that should rank very highly: 1) Much of their content is original (i.e. not copy-pasted from other sites) 2) A majority of the page is composed of text, rather than images or ads 3) Where there are ads, they are minimal and largely hidden from view. 4) Their web…

Spot-checking, and I agree, this doesn't at all seem to be "fake news". Much like the actual communists that I've known, I find myself disagreeing with the opinions, priorities, and judgements, but it doesn't seem to be misleading or mischaracterizing the truth.

The thing about "fake news" is that nobody can agree on an objective definition of what it is. So people just train their models on controversial pages and hope for the best.

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spot-checking, and I agree, this doesn't at all seem to be "fake news". Much like the actual communists that I've known, I find myself disagreeing with the opinions, priorities, and judgements, but it doesn't seem to be misleading or mischaracterizing the truth.

The thing about "fake news" is that nobody can agree on an objective definition of what it is. So people just train their models on controversial pages and hope for the best.

There's a taxonomy. As far as I can see there is:

* Propaganda/Information Warfare (motive: advance foreign policy goals)

* Clickbait (motive: $)

* Stories that portray our executive leadership in unflattering terms (motive: journalism, reportage)

I'm sure there are others, including perhaps whatever classification is targeting 'voices on the margin.' Hearkening back to "When Wikileaks met Google," this seems like a feature, and not a bug to me.

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#9
post #2

By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). However, from a purely algorithmic standpoint, their website has content that should rank very highly: 1) Much of their content is original (i.e. not copy-pasted from other sites) 2) A majority of the page is composed of text, rather than images or ads 3) Where there are ads, they are minimal and largely hidden from view. 4) Their web…

> By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS)

I also could have my nuances with some things said there. But I don't think there is so big of an ideological breach among people if the debate is proposed from a pragmatic and resolutive standpoint. Wouldn't many of us agree that a government should control or manage some resources and give free land for innovation in others? Couldn't we debate about what would be the most efficient way to organize a public governing body, area by area, and how?

Re: As Google Fights Fake News, Voices on the Margins Raise Alarm

#10
post #2

By no means do I agree with much of what is on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). However, from a purely algorithmic standpoint, their website has content that should rank very highly: 1) Much of their content is original (i.e. not copy-pasted from other sites) 2) A majority of the page is composed of text, rather than images or ads 3) Where there are ads, they are minimal and largely hidden from view. 4) Their web…

> from a purely algorithmic standpoint

You could use the same argument on any extremist site.

Algorithm can parse content. It probably has list of bullshit related keywords. Just the title:

> Marxist analysis, international working class struggles & the fight for socialism

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