Google Search algorithm secrets revealed by whistleblower

Google Search secret data leaked: Google confirmed that the documents have been leaked and are authentic after refusing to comment on them earlier.

Thousand of internal documents from Google- that outline how the Sundar Pichai-led company collects user data to rank webpages- have been leaked, it was reported. Google confirmed that the documents have been leaked and are authentic after refusing to comment on them earlier, The Verge reported.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet Inc., speaks at the inaugural 2024 Business, Government, and Society Forum at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in Stanford, California.(Reuters)

Rand Fishkin, an SEO expert, revealed that a source provided him with 2,500 pages of documents as the latter wanted to debunk misinformation allegedly spread by Google employees about the search algorithm. As per Rand Fishkin, these documents have information about Google's search API and is accessible to its employees.

Mike King, an SEO expert, said in a blog post that he takes “issue with their efforts to actively discredit people in the marketing, tech, and journalism worlds who have presented reproducible discoveries.”

What Google said on the leak of documents?

Google spokesperson Davis Thompson told The Verge, “We would caution against making inaccurate assumptions about Search based on out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information. Google has shared extensive information about how Search works and the types of factors that our systems weigh, while also working to protect the integrity of our results from manipulation.”

What has Google said earlier on how it ranks webpages in Search?

Google has said that it doesn’t collect user data extensive to rank webpages in Search but documents show that the tech giant collects data which could have an impact on SEO, marketing and publishing industries. Google said that to rank webpages in Search it doesn’t rely on data like Chrome user data and clicks but documents suggested how Google pushes for sensitive topics like elections and how it deals with small websites.