Google apparently "lied" about how its Search algorithm works after the actual inner workings of the search engine were revealed to the public in a massive data leak yesterday.
In a blog post on Monday, SEO expert Michael King accused the tech giant of lying for years about the supposed "ranking factors" on which websites and content are elevated and which are not.
King claimed that the leaked internal documents show that Google manipulates how content appears on its platform without telling websites and even stores users' click activities to determine which site will be at the top.
Many of the findings reportedly contradict Google's earlier explanations of how its search engine works while staying consistent with the results of its previous bouts with the Department of Justice.
The leaked documents were first reported earlier this week after an anonymous user uploaded thousands of pages of API information on GitHub for a short time before it was removed.
More Secrets Revealed in Google Search Algorithm Leak
SEO specialist Rand Fishkin later confirmed the documents' authenticity by talking with several former Google employees and added several other key details on the matter.
Fishkin's discussion with former employees not only proved the leak's legitimacy but also shed light on some of the practices Google has long denied.
According to Fishkin, Google whitelisted, and sometimes demoted, several websites for COVID- and election-related searches during the pandemic and election periods.
This is in addition to the tech giant indeed considering the domain's age, location, and branding when ranking its content for search results.
Google has yet to provide a statement regarding the leak despite repeated requests from news outlets.
Google Search Algorithm Leak: Why it Matters
For Google Search users, the leak basically confirms long-held rumors of the tech giant collecting information from people more than it wants the public to know.
Businesses and platforms reliant on Google Search's SEO, however, have to grapple with the revelation and how it has impacted their revenues.
Many online platforms, including digital news outlets, mainly rely on advertisements that come as their websites generate views and clicks.
With Google having the power to limit some website's reach in secret, many businesses could have lost thousands, if not millions, of dollars in revenue because of the search giant's whims.
