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PRIMER
 

 

Search Google using keyword "Jew" and see what you get! 

Google is widely recognized as the most popular search engine, especially by our kids doing their school work. Well, if a young girl is doing a report on the Jewish people and types in the keyword "Jew", guess what comes up? The virulent anti-Semitic web site "Jewwatch" whose mission statement proclaims it to be an  "Archive of essays, articles and online books about the international Jewish conspiracy."

Google will probably respond that they have no control over which site comes up first. They will contend that the site with the most "hits" comes up first. However, anyone could "stuff" the ballot box if they wanted to and keep hitting a particular site to make it seem more popular than it really is, in order to get the top position. Google bears some responsibility here, particularly to its younger (and more impressionable) users.

The following letter was written to Google by one of our PRIMER readers and activists in the St. Petersburg, Florida area: 

Gentlemen:

A friend of mine asked that I put the word JEW in your search area and that I would be surprised with the results.  Surprise is not the proper word for the very first item that appeared.  Maybe you should try that search yourself.

The #1 ranked site that appeared was JEW WATCH.  

I am sure that this is a mistake that happened unintentionally.  This group is a mean ANTI SEMITIC racist group that should not get any attention at all, especially from a fine organization such as GOOGLE. (I am one of your most active supporters as I have recommended your search vehicle to literally hundreds of friends and associates) 

If you want to place them in a search for ANTI SEMITISM fine, but they have no place under any search that involves Jewish anything.

I know that you get thousands of comments of many types, but this subject is most important (to me, at least, as I am a survivor of the Holocaust and I would hate to see such a travesty continue in this country.)  Would you please acknowledge this request and more importantly…………..change this search result quickly?

Suggested messages: :
  • If one uses Google to search using the keyword "Jew", the first site that comes up is a virulent anti-Semitic site JEWWATCH. Google bears some responsibility for insuring that this type of site does not receive the first position in results
  • There is enough hate in the world today. Google should not permit an anti-Semitic site to be given such a prominent position
  • Google recently was written up in the New York Times as being the most popular and thorough search engine. If a child or young adult uses the keyword "Jew", the first result is an anti-Semitic, hate-filled site. Google should not be promoting hate and anti-Semitism by placing this web site in such a position
  • JEWWATCH has no place under any search that involves "Jew" or "Jewish" or "Jewish religion." It is the first site that comes up when searching using the term "Jew"
  • Please tell me that an error occurred when I entered "Jew" into your search engine. I do not equate the word Jew with anti- Semitic groups as the results from the search would imply.  As a teacher of gifted 8th graders I know that they often use Google as their only bibliography. Please correct this ASAP
 

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