Google directing LGBTI+ families to “conversion therapy” sites

A study conducted in the United States has revealed that Google directs LGBTI+ parents to “conversion therapy” websites targeting queer people.

Controlling 90 percent of the global search engine market, Google, according to research by Uncloseted Media, has been sending LGBTI+ families to sites promoting so-called “conversion therapy.”

In the study, the organization conducted searches on behalf of LGBTI+ parents with queries such as “I am Christian, my daughter is lesbian” or “my child came out as trans.” Families reported that after these searches, they were directed to institutions like Focus on the Family (FOTF), which promote “conversion therapy” and describe homosexuality as a “sin.”

According to the research, FOTF and similar organizations rank high in Google’s algorithms and are presented as trustworthy religious sources. However, these institutions are classified as “hate groups” and have long campaigned against LGBTI+ rights.

Google responded to the allegations with the following statement: “Like any search engine, Google indexes content from the open web. It relies on systems such as keyword matching to highlight relevant results. The removal of pages from search results largely depends on local laws.”

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