AfriForum requests explanation from Google for discrepancies in anti-minority discrimination in South Africa search results
28 June 2021
The South African civil rights organisation AfriForum directed a letter to Dr Alistair Mokoena, Country Director of Google South Africa. AfriForum requests an explanation for what appears to be Google suppressing relevant articles on its search engine that deal with anti-minority racism and/or racial discrimination in South Africa.
This discrepancy came to AfriForum’s attention via an investigative article by PoliticsWeb on the comparison of results between Google search engines versus other search engines for search strings such as anti-white racism in South Africa, anti-white racial discrimination in South Africa or discrimination against whites in South Africa. Further investigation into this matter will be conducted with the help of specialists.
“Discrimination against and racism towards white South Africans and other minority groups are undeniable facts. It is worrisome that relevant and well-researched sources and articles on the issue do not appear in Google search results. This has real-world effects regarding the fostering of misconceptions and promoting misinformation,” says Ernst van Zyl, Campaign Officer for strategy and content at AfriForum.
Text of the letter:
28 June 2021
Dr A. Mokoena
Country Director: Google South Africa
Building E, Ballyoaks Office Park, 35
Ballyclare Drive
JOHANNESBURG
2021
By email: [email protected]
Dear Dr Mokoena
DISCREPANCY IN SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS FOR ANTI-MINORITY DISCRIMINATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
I write this letter in my capacity as the CEO of the civil rights organisation AfriForum. A discrepancy was brought to our attention regarding search results for anti-minority racism and/or discrimination in South Africa.
The news and commentary website PoliticsWeb reported this week that Google’s search engines appear to suppress articles that deal with anti-white racism and/or racial discrimination in South Africa. This becomes evident if one compares the Google search engine results with the results from other search engines for search strings such as “anti-white racism in South Africa”, “anti-white racial discrimination in South Africa” or “discrimination against whites in South Africa”.
When you search a particular topic on Google, you expect the most relevant articles to appear in the top results, particularly if there is an article on the topic with a headline that matches what you searched for. The PoliticsWeb article demonstrates with examples that this is not the case with Google searches.
Discrimination and racism towards minority groups in South Africa is an undeniable fact of great concern. It is worrisome that relevant and well-researched sources and articles on the issue do not appear in Google search results. This has real world effects regarding the fostering of misconceptions and promoting misinformation.
AfriForum therefore requests that Google clarify this discrepancy. If this is a deliberate policy of the company, kindly outline the reasons for this policy.
Yours sincerely
Kallie Kriel
CEO
AfriForum
ENDS
Issued by Ernst van Zyl, Campaign Officer: Strategy and content, AfriForum, 29 June 2021
