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UK to train Muslims to manipulate Google rankings
by Scott Gilbreath ~ April 19th, 2009
The British Home Office calls it “search engine optimisation”, but that’s just a euphemism for “manipulation”. Whatever you call it, it’s idiotic and futile.
Whitehall officials will train pro-West Islamic groups to manipulate their Google search ranking in an attempt to drown out extremist voices online, The Register has learned.
The policy is being developed despite recent warnings from a group of international experts on radicalisation that such strategies are likely to be “largely ineffectual”.
But when has lack of effectiveness ever stopped a government programme?
The Office of Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT), a 200-strong Home Office unit created 18 months ago, has said in meetings it wants to “flood the internet” with “positive” interpretations of Islam. It plans to train government-approved groups in search engine optimisation techniques, which it’s hoped will boost their profile online and battle radicalisation.
A recent study found that young Muslims looking for extremist information online are unlikely to resort to conventional search engines. Such materials are usually discovered via web forums and online associates.
h/t: Faith Central
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April 23rd, 2009 at 08:37 AM
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