MANIPULATING GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS TO FAVOUR WE CHARITY

   At least 180 workers were paid to manipulate Google’s search algorithm to promote positive stories on WE Charity and co-founder Craig Kielburger in 2018 and 2019, though who hired them is unclear.
   According to three experts, the Google manipulation campaign that was used to boost the visibility of two positive stories about WE, while burying any potential negative coverage, is “highly unethical.”

   In two different micro job offers posted to Microworkers.com and provided to National Post by digital strategy consultant Alexander Thorburn-Winsor, an anonymous employer offered on each occasion to pay at least 90 different workers between $0.15 and $0.18 to try to manipulate Google search results in WE’s favour.