Yes, Google Uses Its Power to Quash Ideas It Doesn’t Like—I Know Because It Happened to Me [Updated]The story in the New York Times this week was unsettling: The New America Foundation, a major think tank, was getting rid of one of its teams of scholars, the Open Markets group. New America had warned its leader Barry Lynn that he was “imperiling the institution,” the Times reported, after he and his group had repeatedly criticized Google, a major funder of the think tank, for its market dominance.

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The criticism of Google had culminated in Lynn posting a statement to the think tank’s website “applauding” the European Commission’s decision to slap the company with a record- breaking $2. That post was briefly taken down, then republished. Soon afterward, Anne- Marie Slaughter, the head of New America, told Lynn that his group had to leave the foundation for failing to abide by “institutional norms of transparency and collegiality.”Google denied any role in Lynn’s firing, and Slaughter tweeted that the “facts are largely right, but quotes are taken way out of context and interpretation is wrong.” Despite the conflicting story lines, the underlying premise felt familiar to me: Six years ago, I was pressured to unpublish a critical piece about Google’s monopolistic practices after the company got upset about it. In my case, the post stayed unpublished. I was working for Forbes at the time, and was new to my job.

In addition to writing and reporting, I helped run social media there, so I got pulled into a meeting with Google salespeople about Google’s then- new social network, Plus. The Google salespeople were encouraging Forbes to add Plus’s “+1" social buttons to articles on the site, alongside the Facebook Like button and the Reddit share button. They said it was important to do because the Plus recommendations would be a factor in search results—a crucial source of traffic to publishers. This sounded like a news story to me.

Google’s dominance in search and news give it tremendous power over publishers. By tying search results to the use of Plus, Google was using that muscle to force people to promote its social network. I asked the Google people if I understood correctly: If a publisher didn’t put a +1 button on the page, its search results would suffer? The answer was yes. After the meeting, I approached Google’s public relations team as a reporter, told them I’d been in the meeting, and asked if I understood correctly.

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The press office confirmed it, though they preferred to say the Plus button “influences the ranking.” They didn’t deny what their sales people told me: If you don’t feature the +1 button, your stories will be harder to find with Google. With that, I published a story headlined, “Stick Google Plus Buttons On Your Pages, Or Your Search Traffic Suffers,” that included bits of conversation from the meeting. The Google guys explained how the new recommendation system will be a factor in search. Universally, or just among Google Plus friends?” I asked.

Universal’ was the answer. So if Forbes doesn’t put +1 buttons on its pages, it will suffer in search rankings?” I asked. Google guy says he wouldn’t phrase it that way, but basically yes.(An internet marketing group scraped the story after it was published and a version can still be found here.)Google promptly flipped out. This was in 2. 01.

Google never challenged the accuracy of the reporting. Instead, a Google spokesperson told me that I needed to unpublish the story because the meeting had been confidential, and the information discussed there had been subject to a non- disclosure agreement between Google and Forbes. I had signed no such agreement, hadn’t been told the meeting was confidential, and had identified myself as a journalist.) It escalated quickly from there. I was told by my higher- ups at Forbes that Google representatives called them saying that the article was problematic and had to come down.

The implication was that it might have consequences for Forbes, a troubling possibility given how much traffic came through Google searches and Google News. I thought it was an important story, but I didn’t want to cause problems for my employer. And if the other participants in the meeting had in fact been covered by an NDA, I could understand why Google would object to the story. Given that I’d gone to the Google PR team before publishing, and it was already out in the world, I felt it made more sense to keep the story up. Ultimately, though, after continued pressure from my bosses, I took the piece down—a decision I will always regret.

Forbes declined comment about this. But the most disturbing part of the experience was what came next: Somehow, very quickly, search results stopped showing the original story at all. As I recall it—and although it has been six years, this episode was seared into my memory—a cached version remained shortly after the post was unpublished, but it was soon scrubbed from Google search results. That was unusual; websites captured by Google’s crawler did not tend to vanish that quickly.

And unpublished stories still tend to show up in search results as a headline. Scraped versions could still be found, but the traces of my original story vanished. It’s possible that Forbes, and not Google, was responsible for scrubbing the cache, but I frankly doubt that anyone at Forbes had the technical know- how to do it, as other articles deleted from the site tend to remain available through Google.

Deliberately manipulating search results to eliminate references to a story that Google doesn’t like would be an extraordinary, almost dystopian abuse of the company’s power over information on the internet. I don’t have any hard evidence to prove that that’s what Google did in this instance, but it’s part of why this episode has haunted me for years: The story Google didn’t want people to read swiftly became impossible to find through Google. Google wouldn’t address whether it deliberately deep- sixed search results related to the story. Asked to comment, a Google spokesperson sent a statement saying that Forbes removed the story because it was “not reported responsibly,” an apparent reference to the claim that the meeting was covered by a non- disclosure agreement. Again, I identified myself as a journalist and signed no such agreement before attending. People who paid close attention to the search industry noticed the piece’s disappearance and wroteaboutit, wondering why it disappeared. Those pieces, at least, are still findable today.

As for how effective the strategy was, Google’s dominance in other industries didn’t really pan out for Plus. Six years later, the social network is a ghost town and Google has basically given up on it. But back when Google still thought it could compete with Facebook on social, it was willing to play hardball to promote the network. Google started out as a company dedicated to ensuring the best access to information possible, but as it’s grown into one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, its priorities have changed. Even as it fights against ordinary people who want their personal histories removed from the web, the company has an incentive to suppress information about itself.

Google said it never urged New America to fire Lynn and his team. But an entity as powerful as Google doesn’t have to issue ultimatums. It can just nudge organizations and get them to act as it wants, given the influence it wields. Lynn and the rest of the team that left New America Foundation plan to establish a new nonprofit to continue their work.

For now, they’ve launched a website called “Citizens Against Monopoly” that tells their story. It says that “Google’s attempts to shut down think tanks, journalists, and public interest advocates researching and writing about the dangers of concentrated private power must end.”It’s safe to say they won’t be receiving funding from Google.

Update, September 1, 1: 5. Yesterday, we asked Google’s communications team for a response to this story.

Soulja Boy - Wikipedia. De. Andre Cortez Way (born July 2. Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor and entrepreneur. In September 2. 00. Crank That (Soulja Boy)" peaked at number one on the U. S. Billboard Hot 1. The single was initially self- published to the internet, and later became a number- one hit in the United States for seven non- consecutive weeks starting in September 2.

On August 1. 7, Way was listed at number 1. Forbes list of Hip- Hop Cash Kings of 2. Way has released three studio albums and one independent album: his debut studio album Souljaboytellem. RIAA. However, his next two albums, i.

Soulja. Boy. Tellem (2. The De. Andre Way (2. Kiss Me Thru the Phone", "Turn My Swag On" and "Pretty Boy Swag".

The De. Andre Way sold only 1. Early life. Way was born in Chicago and moved to Atlanta at the age of six,[8] where he became interested in rap music.[9] At age 1. Batesville, Mississippi, with his father who provided a recording studio for Way to explore his musical ambitions.[8] In November 2. Way posted his songs on the website Sound. Click. Following positive reviews on the site, he established accounts on You.

Tube and Myspace.[1. In March 2. 00. 7, he recorded "Crank That" and released his first independent album Unsigned & Still Major: Da Album Before da Album, followed by a low- budget video demonstrating the "Crank That" dance.

By the end of May 2. Crank That (Soulja Boy)" had received its first airplay and Way met with Mr. Collipark to sign a deal with Interscope Records.[citation needed]Music career. Souljaboytellem. com and i. Soulja. Boy. Tellem.

On August 1. 2, 2. Entourage, and on September 1 it topped the US Billboard Hot 1. Hot Ring. Masters charts.[1. Way's major label debut album, Souljaboytellem. United States on October 2,[1. Billboard 2. 00 and Top R& B/Hip- Hop Albums charts.[1. The album was reportedly recorded using just the demo version of FL Studio.[1.

For the 5. 0th Grammy Awards, Way was nominated for Best Rap Song with "Crank That (Soulja Boy)", but lost to Kanye West and T- Pain's "Good Life". Souljaboytellem. com received a favorable review from Allmusic,[1. Entertainment Weekly.[1. Several reviewers credited Soulja Boy with spearheading a new trend in hip- hop, while speculating he would likely be a one- hit wonder.[1.

The follow- up to souljaboytellem. Soulja. Boy. Tellem, was released on December 1. The first single from the album, "Bird Walk", peaked at number 4. Billboard. Hot R& B/Hip- Hop Songs chart and the top 2. Hot Rap Tracks chart.

It was performed on You. Tube Live on November 2. MC Hammer.[2. 2] "Kiss Me Thru the Phone", with Sammie, followed, peaking at number three on the Hot 1. Hot Rap Tracks charts.[2. Chris Brown was originally Way's first choice to sing the hook, but had respectfully turned down the offer. Way then tried to do it on his own with Auto- Tune but he found it unacceptable.[2. It sold over 2,0.

United States, becoming his second song to reach the two million mark in downloads.[2. On January 2. 6, 2. Way released the third single "Turn My Swag On". US Rap Charts and peaked at number 1. Billboard Hot 1. 00. As of August 2. 3, 2.

United States.[2. The De. Andre Way. Way has stated that his third studio album, The De. Andre Way,[2. 7] was intended to be his most personal and successful album thus far. When speaking on possible collaborations, he stated that he wished to work with artists such as Jay- Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West[2. Eminem.[2. 9] The lead single from the album, "POW", was released in January 2.

On October 3. 0, 2. Watch Jug Face Online Free HD. Way released three mixtapes: Paranormal Activity, Dat Piff and Cortez.[3. It was announced on February 1. All Black Everything" but the single was cancelled and the track was put on another promotional mixtape, Legendary.[3.

The album's title was changed to Dre in an early 2. Do It Big" as the first single but this was cancelled as well.[3. The album title was reverted to The De. Andre Way in July 2. On June 8, 2. 01.

Pretty Boy Swag". The single reached number 3. Billboard Hot 1. 00, number six on the Hot R& B/Hip- Hop Songs chart and number five on the Rap Songs chart.[3. The album's second single was due to be "Digital" which was instead used on his promotional mixtape Best Rapper.[3.

Then it was announced that "Speakers Going Hammer" was going to be the second single, but "Blowing Me Kisses" was released on August 3. On October 1. 3 Way performed "Pretty Boy Swag" and a snippet of his third single "Speakers Going Hammer".

On October 1. 9, 2. Way released "Speakers Going Hammer" on i. Tunes with the single peaking at number 4. Billboard Hot R& B/Hip Hop Songs.[3.

Way backed- out of the Summerbeatz tour in Australia in November 2. Flo Rida, Jay Sean and Travie Mc. Coy,[3. 7] in order to embark on his "Who They Want" tour in support of his upcoming album. The De. Andre Way was released on November 3. Way's lowest- selling album. EPs, independent albums & Blessed.

In 2. 01. 1, Way released a series of mixtapes. The first, on January 2. Smooky and had cartoon cover art of Way doing a 3. On March 1. 7, Way released the mixtape 1. UP which had cover art based on the Narutoanime, with Way stating: "If I was in a video game, this mixtape would advance me to the next level with an extra life.

Power up with the new offering."[3. On April 2. 0, Way released his mixtape Juice with cover art based on the film of the same name. Way stated he would also release a mini- movie of his own to go along with the mixtape, and that he was headed to greatness with the mixtape.[4. On July 1. 5, Way released his EP mixtape titled Bernaurd Arnault EP (Limited Edition).[4. Then on August 1, Way released another ep mixtape titled 2. EP.[4. 2] On August 3.

Way released the mixtape The Last Crown, the cover of the mixtape is based on the artwork the Flammarion Engraving.[4. In September 2. 01. Way confirmed that he is working on a new album, Promise, which would be released in October.[4.

Way also released the cover and title of his second independent album via Twitter, titled Skate Boy, with a notice that it would be available in stores on November 1.[4. On September 1. 9, Way released the mixtape Supreme.[4. On October 3. 0, Skate Boy (Deluxe Edition) was released as a mixtape, rather than an album.[4.

On December 3. 0, 2. Way released another mixtape titled Gold On Deck.[5. In 2. 01. 2, Way released additional mixtapes while his album continued to be delayed.

On January 9, Way released a mixtape for the beginning of the year, titled 5. ASAP Rocky's mixtape Live.

Love. ASAP.[5. 2] On January 2. Way released a collaboration mixtape with his artist Young L titled Mario & Domo vs. World with cover art based on the video game Super Mario Bros.[5.

On March 2. 3, Way released a mixtape titled OBEY which featured the promotional single "Too Faded".[5. On June 3, 2. 01. Way talked about his upcoming album Promise and stated that he has released so many mixtapes in the last two years because he feels he has to put out a lot of music and be as creative as possible.[5. On June 1. 1, Way released another collaboration mixtape with rapper Vinny Chase titled Double Cup City.[5. On September 4, Way released the sequel mixtape Juice II, in which Way returned to his old production style with the beginning lines "Soulja Boy Tell 'Em". It is Way's most- downloaded mixtape.[5. His mixtape titled Young & Flexin was released on November 6.[6.

On December 2. 5, 2. Way released LOUD, which was his first mixtape distributed on i. Tunes.[6. 1][6. 2]2. Way's record deal expired, and he continued to release mixtapes. On February 2. 2, Way released his first mixtape of the year, titled Foreign.[6. In March, it was rumored that Way was signing to Cash Money Records after getting a face tattoo saying "Rich Gang" the same weekend he was seen with his manager and Cash Money artists Birdman and Bow Wow.[6. This continued after he added "Rich Gang" or "YMCMB" to his social media platforms.