Search engine advertising is a major driver of news consumption, but advertisers have been accused of doing more than just selling search traffic.
They’ve also been accused by lawmakers of being part of a shadowy, money-making scheme to manipulate news.
The Center for Public Integrity’s Investigative Unit has learned that, since 2018, a number of lawmakers have called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch a probe into how the search engine industry operates.
In the process, they have come under fire from companies and groups that are already lobbying Congress to crack down on the practice.
The FTC has previously said it has been working with the search industry to improve the quality of search results.
The inquiry comes at a time when the search market is still in flux, as search engine operators like Google and Facebook face increasing pressure to show more relevant and credible content to consumers.
The search giant, for instance, has faced mounting pressure from lawmakers to make more accurate results in its search results, and it is already taking steps to improve its quality.
As of August, Google had updated its search engine algorithm to prioritize more relevant search results over more sensationalist content.
In its August 2018 report, the FTC said the new algorithm would be “enhanced” by incorporating a new “high-quality” flag that could flag stories that “contain potentially misleading, deceptive, or unsubstantiated claims, or contain content that could reasonably be expected to mislead consumers.”
Google is also reportedly working on new algorithms that will prioritize more specific types of search queries and content, which the agency says will help it identify more credible, trusted news.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has also pushed for more information about the extent of its search-quality efforts.
In a September interview with CNNMoney, Pichaiec acknowledged that Google’s search engine “is trying to improve.”
But he said the company “has never been satisfied” with how it measures its quality, and that he’s also “looking for the right way to do it.”
“We’re looking at a number [of ways] to improve our results,” he said.
“We think the way we measure our quality is wrong.”
A key part of Google’s business is its advertising.
Ads are the primary source of search traffic on search engines like Google, Facebook, Bing, and YouTube.
Ads can be purchased with money from advertisers or by making your own content.
Advertising dollars from search engines can also be used to pay for targeted advertisements, which are ads that appear on your own pages that promote your own brand or products.
Google does not disclose how much it spends on ads on its site.
However, data from ad tracking website Adblock Plus suggests that the company spent $15.5 billion in 2017.
Google has also been criticized for using its dominance in search to promote its own products and services, including products like the AdSense ad network, which lets advertisers pay for more targeted ads on Google pages.
The FCC’s investigation is expected to include testimony from top Google executives.
The investigation could also target some of the companies and organizations that have lobbied for stricter regulations.
Google is one of a number that has received subpoenas from lawmakers.
According to Politico, Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) has asked the FTC to investigate the search giant for possible violations of antitrust law.
Other members of Congress have also called for an investigation into the search company’s practices.
In January, Sen. Chris Coons (D) called on Google to “immediately provide the American people with the results of this investigation.”
Rep. John Conyers (D, Mich.) is also asking for an FTC investigation.