Hillary ‘Debunks’ Study Showing Google Helped Her in 2016 - Then Gets Debunked
The author has since issued a series of tweets defending his study
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Hillary Clinton's recent claim, that a study on the impact of alleged 'Google bias' in searches was "debunked," was met with backlash from the author of the study, who, ironically, is a Hillary supporter.
The author has since issued a series of tweets defending his study and revealing how Clinton "has long depended on Google for both money and votes."
The findings were presented to Congress in July, which President Donald Trump recently tweeted saying his victory over Hillary Clinton might have been "even bigger than thought" if Google had not "manipulated" millions of votes for Clinton.
"Wow, Report Just Out! Google manipulated from 2.6 million to 16 million votes for Hillary Clinton in 2016 Election!" Trump tweeted Monday.
"This was put out by a Clinton supporter, not a Trump Supporter! Google should be sued. My victory was even bigger than thought!"
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But Clinton responded, arguing the study was "debunked" and based only on responses from 21 undecided voters.
"The debunked study you're referring to was based on 21 undecided voters," Clinton tweeted Monday.
"For context that's about half the number of people associated with your campaign who have been indicted."
Of course, The Washington Post immediately fact-check Trump's tweet and sides with Clinton's conclusion.
But the study's author, psychologist Dr. Robert Epstein - who was even a "strong" supporter of the Clintons for decades - refused to accept Clinton's claim.
Epstein defended his study by detailing the various connections between the 2016 Clinton campaign and Google.
He then notes Trump didn't accurately summarize his findings:
"I've never said that Google deliberately 'manipulated' the 2016 election, but I measured substantial pro-Hillary bias in Google's search results by preserving & analyzing 13,207 election-related searches & the 98,044 web pages linked to those searches."
"The level of pro-Hillary bias I found in Google's search results — absent on Bing & Yahoo — was enough to convince between 2.6 & 10.4 million undecided voters to vote for Hillary. [Donald Trump] said 16 million; that's wrong."
The debunked study you’re referring to was based on 21 undecided voters. For context that’s about half the number of people associated with your campaign who have been indicted. https://t.co/0zHnWvGjSv
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 19, 2019
Now, switching to .@HillaryClinton: This is going to hurt me to write, because I & my whole extended family have been strong supporters of the Clintons for decades. I have a framed, signed letter from #Bill on the wall near my desk. But #Hillary should be ashamed of herself. pic.twitter.com/FKyLiKonyw
— Dr. Robert Epstein (@DrREpstein) August 20, 2019
#Hillary has long depended on #Google for both money & votes. Her largest donor in 2016 was Alphabet/Google. Her Chief Technology Officer during the campaign was Stephanie Hannon, a former Google exec. And then there's #EricSchmidt, longtime head of Google - the guy in the pic: pic.twitter.com/dSV8wOPwAH
— Dr. Robert Epstein (@DrREpstein) August 20, 2019
A leaked email showed that in 2014 #Google's #EricSchmidt offered to run #Hillary's tech campaign (see pic). In 2015, Schmidt in fact funded The Groundwork, a highly secretive tech company, the sole purpose of which was to put Clinton into office. https://t.co/rXMNH9bLYV pic.twitter.com/MRjGpCJcvr
— Dr. Robert Epstein (@DrREpstein) August 20, 2019
About 96% of 2016 campaign donations from #Google employees went to #Hillary. And #ElanKriegel, Hillary's Chief Analytics Officer, credits his 2012 tech team, informally supervised by #EricSchmidt, for half of Obama's win margin: nearly 2.5 million votes. https://t.co/vEaufq3M11 pic.twitter.com/tSI05RS3uu
— Dr. Robert Epstein (@DrREpstein) August 20, 2019
#Hillary: If my work has been "debunked," why was it included in a volume just published by #Oxford U.? Why have I been invited to speak about it at prestigious venues worldwide: #Stanford U., #Yale Law School (where both you & Bill went), even our #Senate (where you served)? pic.twitter.com/rmMeB1oJn3
— Dr. Robert Epstein (@DrREpstein) August 20, 2019
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He then emphasized that Google's intentions are irrelevant:
"It doesn't matter whether the bias in Google search results was deliberate or not."
"Once it appeared — which it did at least 6 months before the election — it began shifting opinions & votes without people's knowledge & without leaving a paper trail."
Epstein noted evidence of significant Clinton-Google connections, and stated Clinton has "long depended on Google for votes."
"Now, switching to Hillary Clinton: This is going to hurt me to write, because I & my whole extended family have been strong supporters of the Clintons for decades. I have a framed, signed letter from Bill on the wall near my desk.
"But Hillary should be ashamed of herself."
"Hillary has long depended on Google for both money & votes. Her largest donor in 2016 was Alphabet/Google.
"Her Chief Technology Officer during the campaign was Stephanie Hannon, a former Google exec.
"And then there's Eric Schmidt, longtime head of Google ..."
"A leaked email showed that in 2014, Google's Eric Schmidt offered to run Hillary's tech campaign (see pic).
"In 2015, Schmidt in fact funded The Groundwork, a highly secretive tech company, the sole purpose of which was to put Clinton into office."
"About 96% of 2016 campaign donations from Google employees went to Hillary. And Elan Kriegel, Hillary's Chief Analytics Officer, credits his 2012 tech team, informally supervised by Eric Schmidt, for half of Obama's win margin: nearly 2.5 million votes."
