Google has the power to influence what people think or believe about a person, business or brand, I believe it may also be possible to manipulate it to your own advantage.
Recently a friend contacted me, she was concerned that when searching for the name of the leader of her group negative phrases were being suggested by Google in their drop-down options, see below.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Fraud
The search in question is for “Sri Sri Ravi Shankar”, but by the time you have typed “Sri Sri” into Google the drop-down options Google offers have suggested his full name, but the second suggestion offered by Google is “Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Fraud”.
This is disturbing, as far as I know Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is certainly not a fraud, he is anything but, however the suggestion Google is offering will cause searchers to form an opinion simply based on what they are suggesting as a possible search term.
I believe the suggestions are provided by Google based on what users have been searching for over a recent period of time, i’m not sure how long, it could be 30, 60 or 90 days, maybe more.
Is Google policing this? Probably not if it is happy for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to be called a fraud! So, If the suggestions are purely based on what users are searching for then it would be easy to manipulate what appears in the drop-down suggestions by auto-generating huge numbers of searches for whatever phrase you wanted (and then making sure your site is top for that phrase, which will get loads of extra clicks by appearing in the drop-down suggestions).
If it really is that simple, the possibilities and potential (both good and bad) are huge.
What nobody seems to know is how to get a suggestion removed from the Google drop-down such as “Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Fraud”.
Tags: google drop-down suggestions, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Fraud
It can be happened as there are hundreds and thousands of searches a second on google. And if you are searching for something and start typing the word/phrase, then google suggest the supportive searches already done on the search engine.
I have noticed some REALLY weird drop down suggestions. Sometimes I think Google is just showing they have a sense of humor. There’s no other explanation I can think of.
Yes, it is SOOOOO easy on the net to have negative words attached to a search. All you need is one deranged person to not like the person and no matter what you do, baaam, there it is.
For example, one of the cleanest guys in the world of show business is Pat Boone. But, some person who must be high on something always uses the term Fuck when typing in Boone’s name.
So you guessed it, when you do a search for Pat Boone, that word pops up all over the place. It is even in his Wikipedia entry.
So, yes, both Ravi Shankar and Pat Boone are great and talented people. However, the internet has no mercy in this area.
However, I love to hear that someone other than myself is upset with this unfairness.
Stetson
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU ..ITS ABSOULATELY NOT FAIR FOR SUCH A WELL RESPECTED MAN OF OUR COUNTRY…THIS KIND OF THINGS WILL ONLY REDUCE POPULARITY OF “GOOGLE”
REGDS,
KETKI
If the suggested results are a true representation of what is being typed in on google, then from googles point of view if x amount of people are looking for information of someone being a fruad, then it makes sense to provide that as a portentional search term.
But having said that I would think google must keep an eye on the suggestions or at the very least deal with any complaints. Other wise as you said you could end up with people manipulating the terms for bad reasons.
Google has the power to influence what people think or believe about a person, business or brand, I believe it may also be possible to manipulate it to your own advantage.
I have always thought that search engines are supposed to beneutral. I didn’t realize there could be some influencing concerned here.
Please remove the misleading caption SRI SRI RAVI SHANKER IS LIVING GOD.
I also agree, google should moderate the suggestion given by itself. I have found many examples like this, and it’s not good for google.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR WHO IS ALSO KNOWN AS ‘GURUJI’ IS A GREAT PERSONALITY OF INDIA.
I DON’T KNOW HOW GOOGLE LET IT TO BE SHOWN AS DROP DOWN SUGGESTION!
IF THEY DO THIS FOR HUMOR! IT WILL BE SHAME FOR THEM.
THIS KIND OF SUGGESTIONS SHOULD NOT BE MADE BY GOOGLE!
I think when google shows a drop down suggestions does are the closest to you search and most being searched by others.
Google drop-down or google auto complete with search may be real fun with some words
I agree with you, that kind of suggestion will be removed by google. thanks!
I would contact Google and tell them about the problem.. since it´s a strange and bad thing for the person.
This problem shows that reputation management can also be a problem in the google suggestion and not only in the Google result pages.
You always get quite the interesting list of drop down suggestions from Google. Sometimes useful, other times, not the least bit.
Friends & fellow Humans !
I am amuzed at this burgeioning seeds of fanaticism and our inability to take criticism or to accomodate the divergent view points of the ocean of people who exist in this world.
Are we trying to say that just because we hold someone with high regards is beyond the basic guiding principles of humanity & society & hence he needs to shielded , guarded , feel sensitive towards any divergent views which other people hold ?
Now , are we not outright critical about so many things which are held very emotionally close to so many of our other human fellows ? And when we are rightfully critical about some of them , isn’t the other side of that coin fanatical from our point of view ?
Well, the state of scoiety can be said to be healthy only if we are in a position to allow any divergent views to have their rightful place in the society & yet be undetered from our paths of faith or freedom to express.
On this earth , there might be so many great souls existing/living ! but those who appeal to you/us are only those who so predictably are walking with an auro/hallo around them ? which was either carefully constructed or marketed by a few who have their own reasons ! And we get lost in that hallo/auro and are ready to give up reason & logic and most importantly common sense for an unbriddled faith without passing through the test of fire yourself !
Faith is something which is not tradable ! You cannot trade it for convenience nor for fancy .
Faith is a exercise of treasure hunt & the only tools which you can carry along in this journey of that hunt is your ability to be critical , self-examine , inquire & put everything thru the test of fire ! Faith is not about giving up common sense & reason . Faith is that journey which when you have performed to the truest of your abilities you cross over into a terrain were criticism & devotion lie side by side without distinction .
Friends, a Faith which is reposed in somebody without this test is nothing more than foolishness & self-inflicted insult to oneself & to humanity in general which is otherwise blessed with an intellect and an ability to inquire .
Your fellow Human,
As far as you know he is not a fraud.. does that mean he isn’t a fraud? Please use google and do a search for those keywords and maybe you can find out. Thats what I did…
Google suggestions is based on the trends, I think it is calculated from the search volume. The fraud keyword search is high so it is coming in keyword suggestions.
Those who dont know anything anything about sri sri ravi shankar should not just write whatever comes to there mind. Today what he is doing like spreading the message of love all over the world is need of the hour we all should support him in spreading this message of love. He is not a fraud and those who all feel this need to do a reality check.
the word fraud highlights the state of mind of a society which gives no
value whatsoever for individual or organisations. It attracts the
fraudulant tendencies of our own mind and superimposes it on
others. It is high time google search delete the word fraud from
their search nomenclature irrespective of any individual name
famous or non famous. A guru is certainly not going to defend
the accusation but as value would have it,it is the perceivers
choice to leave the uncoloured mind to leave it as it is.
Oh, God
What is this? Nice topic to discuss. Somebody add this keyword in Google.
I am totally agree with you, that kind of suggestion will be removed by google. but, I think he is not fraud.
I accept noticed some REALLY awe-inspiring bead down suggestions. Sometimes I anticipate Google is just assuming they accept a faculty of humor. There??™s no added account I can anticipate of.
If AOL succeeds in moderating search engines he will deserve it.
I know SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR who has changed life of millions of people across the globe, who has brought smile back on every face by teaching the people the ART OF LIVING is & is also uplifting Human values is a great spiritual leader & inspiration for many .So, please remove this caption & you can also experience the divinty by doing ART OF LIVING corses ….Hope u people will understand & ‘ll soon remove this…
I agree with all comments above, it’s a google way to indexing words, phrase or keywords. It’s beyond our imagination that how our name were gonna be. Just do a good post with all keywords pointed to your name, make a good pagerank and doing lot of bookmark and finally hope that your name is not same like a bandit or mafia owner names.
I have always thought that search engines are supposed to beneutral. I didn’t realize there could be some influencing concerned here.
I have no idea whether or not Sri Sri is a fraud. And, to be honest I don’t care. But the way that Google presents these “suggestions” may mean that they are perpetuated. If I click on a “suggestion” then does it get counted as the search words by me? If I’m looking at the background of somebody and see the word “FRAUD” by their name, I am obviously going to look at where that link takes me – so does that add another one to the search count?
I personaly love the dropdown suggestions and find them very useful…
But I understand what you mean…
Google showing this suggestion “Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Fraud” because it may be a reason of Google bombing too.
PLEASE REMOVE THIS UGLY GOOGLE DROP DOWN.. WHAT A SHAME.. GURUJI IS NOT A FRAUD… BY ANY CHANCE… Please remove that crap!!!!!
In most cases, the suggesting function works very well, but sometimes, it misses!
Hi,
Why you all are counter arguing for this silly matter. I am one of the devotee of Sri Sri and as I believe and seen him during my visits and his simplicity he cannot be fraud at any cost. Never mind what people says a “Pearl is always a Pearl”
So dont have any chance of argument, what ever the world says I have faith in him so trust and go ahead. Leave these silly matters to go off on its own.
JaiGrudev
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
Google has to b modified its engine and technology. The term that appear is not good ,its a nice organisation. Jai Gurudev…..
don’t worry!!my dear friends “ACCEPT PEOPLE & SITUATIONS AS THEY ARE!!” AND dont be a foot ball of a search engine’s drop down box!!
If anyone has doubt of the organization or the Guru should ask Guruji personnally instead of cowardly writing on blogs!!!
Be in the presence of Guruji and you will know the Truth!!! The truth can not be spoken, it only can be experienced….
sir.
i am very upset about the website search” sri sri ravaishankar fraud ”
you must open the google notice then remove the autometic
search of guru, one of the familear personality, i must seceare purnish to u,
i was too much sadness to view the search engin,
Sri Sri is a wonderful person, You should not name him as a fraud. First you should remove the “sri sri ravishankar fraud” from the search list
No reply I have to leave, but truly I am believer and follower of Guruji and I use to go Vishalakshi Mandap very often, though I am from Kerala. I will share my experience in due course.
i believe GURUJI is a great man ..
His foundation,The Art Of Living is the NGO committed towards creating a violence-free, stress-free society..
Doesnt really matter for the comments about few talking all that ‘bad’ againt His organisation..
I believe their work of transformation will continue …
jai gurudev!!
yes, is it dangerous, by all means, but not sure if Google is responsible for this, this drop down seems like it is based on what people are searching, so if fraud is the thing on their mind,, well…
But lets hope it is short time – as you pointed out 30.// 90 days average
I have not met SSRS or been to his foundation, I can see so many here upset about the Google key word search you are finding, I am sure specially people are close to him may get more angry about the Google keyword.
If you attract good thing good things will happen if you attract bad, bad will happen, now if you guys keep writing more and more about SSRS + fraud you are not only putting these words more and more into internet and create more search results also you are creating attraction to these words in the universe and more and more people will start thinking about SSRS is a fraud and more people would search in that terms even though he may not a fraud.
I don’t know if we can put this under “Law of Attraction”?
It is not true Guru ji is divine soul…………….
so pls remove this and if you want to meet god without even dying…. just fell the presence of sri sri….. if u r lucky enough.
JGD
I am really amazed at dis.If any1 thinks like dis pls visit srisri.org
Where Ever r the famous people, they are followed by a criticism. so happens with sri sri, a totally genuine man always carrying a smile, he is a lucky man to get criticism becuz only famous people and really substance man can have it.
morover if people search is responsible for dis, then why not in the topics of sex, porn .. google shows the listing. becuz it is in the hands of google, wat to show wat not . it is mere criticism wat google wants to show.
i think google should control it.
Isn’t everyone getting a bit carried away with their comments to this post?
Point noted that people are upset about a suggested term, the point of the article was that people have to have been searching that term, and they (different people) might have been doing this for some time so as to create a trend which then shows up in Google suggestions.
The point of the article then was that businesses or people could probably manipulate the suggestions to there advantage.
All the sri sri ravishankar fans might to search his name and get all tehir friends tp also search using Google his name in this fashion “sri sri ravishankar the best man on the planet” and see if after a while, the moment you start typing sri sri, that line comes up as a suggestion: sri sri raveshankar the best on the planet.
Point is, use the feature to your advantage. I came to this blog to see how I can find ways to get people to find my new site: findmeasolicitor.com.
whilst you are all at it, please search for: find me a solicitor… see if that term starts showing in the suggestions… then i just got to see how I can get my site listed on Googles 1st page for the same term!
its true that this kind of idotic suggestion will be removed by google. Sri Sri is an amazing person. He is spreading knowledge through out the world. How dare you to add this nonsense in the list?? Remove it from the list….