Maybe we need to talk about this since former Senator Rick Santorum is currently a major presidential contender. As you may already know, a Google search of “Santorum” yields a top result of a website that defines the term as the after effect of certain sexual activities. This happens because of a concerted effort led by writer Dan Savage, who objected to Santorum’s position on same-sex marriage and gay rights. Savage created the site and with the help of supporters drove the site to the number one result. Other top results refer to the politician, but Savage’s is not the only one referring to the, uh, other thing.
Google won’t alter the results because it’s an accurate result of search traffic.
It’s bound to be a problem if Santorum, the politician, remains popular and people go online to learn more about him. And instead learn about… it.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
