How news link aggregators handle the search for the term "male violence"

clovenhooves The Personal Is Political Violence Against Women Discussion How news link aggregators handle the search for the term "male violence"

Discussion How news link aggregators handle the search for the term "male violence"

Discussion How news link aggregators handle the search for the term "male violence"

Elsacat

258

Apr 21 2025, 8:26 AM

#1

If I search the term male violence (no quotation marks) on news.google.com, the top result is this article:

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250416/Male-survivors-of-intimate-partner-violence-struggle-with-isolation-and-stigma.aspx

which is about male victims of intimate partner violence. Every article below that is about violence done by males, which is what most people are probably looking for if they search "male violence."

I randomly compared to news.duckduckgo.com, where the search for male violence (no quotation marks) returns what I'd expect, including articles I didn't see show up in the Google search result. At the bottom of the first page results is an article about male victims of IPV (not the same link as in the Google search results, but possibly the same study/topic).

I thought that was interesting. Maybe there are differences depending on search location or if you're searching in a language other than English/location other than U.S. Maybe one competing site comparison isn't enough. But it sure seems to me like Google News is boosting the "male victims of IPV" result for a search on male violence.

Elsacat

Apr 21 2025, 8:26 AM #1

If I search the term male violence (no quotation marks) on news.google.com, the top result is this article:

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250416/Male-survivors-of-intimate-partner-violence-struggle-with-isolation-and-stigma.aspx

which is about male victims of intimate partner violence. Every article below that is about violence done by males, which is what most people are probably looking for if they search "male violence."

I randomly compared to news.duckduckgo.com, where the search for male violence (no quotation marks) returns what I'd expect, including articles I didn't see show up in the Google search result. At the bottom of the first page results is an article about male victims of IPV (not the same link as in the Google search results, but possibly the same study/topic).

I thought that was interesting. Maybe there are differences depending on search location or if you're searching in a language other than English/location other than U.S. Maybe one competing site comparison isn't enough. But it sure seems to me like Google News is boosting the "male victims of IPV" result for a search on male violence.

komorebi
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde

335

Apr 21 2025, 10:43 AM

#2

There is a slightly less sinister possible reason behind this: Google search results probably bias towards (so-called) reputable sources like large media outlets, but generally speaking, those outlets never write about male violence. It's usually phrased as "violence against X group," even if it's entirely committed by males (which it generally is). More likely, I would consider this to be a result of a dearth on reporting on "male violence" rather than an intentional attempt to bury results.

komorebi

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde

Apr 21 2025, 10:43 AM #2

There is a slightly less sinister possible reason behind this: Google search results probably bias towards (so-called) reputable sources like large media outlets, but generally speaking, those outlets never write about male violence. It's usually phrased as "violence against X group," even if it's entirely committed by males (which it generally is). More likely, I would consider this to be a result of a dearth on reporting on "male violence" rather than an intentional attempt to bury results.

OffMyTit

34

Apr 21 2025, 1:33 PM

#3

[quote pid="3402" dateline="1745257400"]
More likely, I would consider this to be a result of a dearth on reporting on "male violence" rather than an intentional attempt to bury results.
[/quote]
I think the dearth of reporting is an intentional attempt to bury the truth though.

OffMyTit

Apr 21 2025, 1:33 PM #3

[quote pid="3402" dateline="1745257400"]
More likely, I would consider this to be a result of a dearth on reporting on "male violence" rather than an intentional attempt to bury results.
[/quote]
I think the dearth of reporting is an intentional attempt to bury the truth though.

komorebi
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde

335

Apr 21 2025, 3:59 PM

#4

(Apr 21 2025, 1:33 PM)OffMyTit I think the dearth of reporting is an intentional attempt to bury the truth though.

There's no "though" here—I agree with you, but there's a difference between saying "News aggregators are intentionally burying the truth" and "Nobody even writes about the truth." The news aggregator is just that: a news aggregator. The real problem is that we as a society don't discuss the problem of male violence, except obliquely and only with reference to the victims, not the perpetrators.

Edited Apr 21 2025, 4:00 PM by komorebi. Edit Reason: gramer

komorebi

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde

Apr 21 2025, 3:59 PM #4

(Apr 21 2025, 1:33 PM)OffMyTit I think the dearth of reporting is an intentional attempt to bury the truth though.

There's no "though" here—I agree with you, but there's a difference between saying "News aggregators are intentionally burying the truth" and "Nobody even writes about the truth." The news aggregator is just that: a news aggregator. The real problem is that we as a society don't discuss the problem of male violence, except obliquely and only with reference to the victims, not the perpetrators.

Recently Browsing
1 Guest(s)

Recently Browsing
1 Guest(s)