This momentum has been instrumental in validating Putin’s position to millions of people, as Russian state media has ceased to operate in the West. In addition, Chinese state media no longer rely solely on social media platforms for operations like this, as they seem to have found a more efficient way to distribute their messages using Internet search results.

These practices are not new, although they seem to remain effective in China without search engines having done anything to prevent them. According to a Brookings report, China has been able to alter the results of consultations such as ‘Xinjiang’ or ‘COVID-19’ online, two issues of concern for the Communist Party, which seeks to reduce discussion about its questionable human rights record and its abysmal decisions in addressing the early phases of the pandemic.

For 120 consecutive days, the Brookings team compiled information about queries for these terms in sources such as Google Search, Google News, Bing Search, Bing News, and YouTube, making interesting findings.

Search results pollution

The report notes that, over the days, the terms analyzed showed progressively more content sponsored by the Chinese state. Specifically, state propaganda had already hoarded the first 10 results for ‘Xinjiang’ and ‘COVID-19’ by the last few days of the analysis.

Another interesting finding is that Chinese state media has also resorted to conspiracy theories, generating a lot of sensationalist content to appear in search results before validated information. The Brookings report cites as an example the large volume of content related to Fort Detrick, a former military base in the U.S. that housed a biological weapons program, which the Chinese government has linked to false theories about the origin of the coronavirus.

Finally, when searching for pandemic-related terms on news and video platforms, you are much more likely to find content created by Chinese media, notably influencing the distribution of information.

Web browsers can take some steps to address these issues, including analyzing hosting practices, content forwarding, and syndication, as well as boosting the practice of tagging online platforms operated by state media, which can give users a clearer idea of the intent with which content on the Internet was crafted.

Feel free to access the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS) websites to learn more about information security risks, malware variants, vulnerabilities, and information technologies.

The post How Chinese government successfully controlled Google, Bing, and YouTube search results in disinformation campaigns appeared first on Information Security Newspaper | Hacking News.

While it was already possible to make these requests in cases of doxing or leaking of bank details, the update will allow users to request the removal of other content that appears in search results, including personal contact information. Google will also allow the removal of additional information that may pose a risk of identity theft, such as access credentials to online platforms.

According to the report, the following records may be considered personal contact information:

• Government identification numbers, including social security numbers, tax identification keys and the like depending on the country in question
• Bank account numbers and credit cards
• Images of handwritten signatures
• Images of identity documents
• Medical records
• Physical addresses, phone numbers and email addresses

On the processes that are implemented when receiving one of these requests, Google ensures that they evaluate all the content of websites that may incur in the exposure of confidential data, trying not to limit the availability of other useful data for users. The company also looks at whether content users want to remove is part of public or government records; if so, the request is inadmissible.

Although this is undoubtedly good news, users should remember that removing this content from the results in Google Search, this will not remove the content from the Internet. To do this, it is necessary to communicate directly with the administrators of the website in question.

Google continues to implement changes to its policies in order to improve the privacy experience of its users. In recent days it was revealed the application of a new measure to allow users under the age of 18 to request the removal of any image of theirs from image search results. The parents and guardians of minors may also carry out this procedure.

Full information about these requests and other security and privacy measures implemented by Google is available on the company’s official communication channels.

To learn more about information security risks, malware variants, vulnerabilities and information technologies, feel free to access the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS) websites.

The post Now you can ask Google to remove your phone number, email address, physical address and other personal contact data from Search Results. Learn how to do it appeared first on Information Security Newspaper | Hacking News.