An annoying new trend in media and politics etc.

Using # of search engine results to support an argument

[Reflection]

This is something I have been noticing lately. Someone in the media or in politics, will make a statement saying "If you type (insert phrase here) into the google search engine, over (large number of google serps) web pages about (insert previous phrase here) are found."

They basically state that the number of "results returned" as if that is the exact number of web pages that directly relate to the topic, which is obviously innacurate(especially when we are talking millions of results).

I was watching some report about modem hijacking and they used the number of results returned in google(21000 or so) to support their statement on how prevalent modem hijacking is. Another example was in some congressional hearing in the US(I dont remember the specific topic) where someone was backing up their argument with "there are over 3 million webpages" about said topic.

Anyone else noticing this trend?

Just had to vent about something thats been bugging me :)

[Macguru]

>>Just had to vent about something thats been bugging me :)

You are not alone [google.com]. ;)

[Reflection]

LOL, that made my day :)

[snowman]

Apparently the letter "E" is the most often used letter from the English alphabet. I just Googled it to see.

Results 1 - 10 of about 906,000,000

Guess that supports THAT argument! ;)

[Macguru]

Nope [google.com]! ;)

[loanuniverse]

LOL MACGuru

How about this as proof of people being egocentric

Results 1 - 100 of about 1,330,000,000 for "I"

[grelmar]

Well, according to google:

Google is a failure [google.com]

934,000 web pages can't be wrong.

[Macguru]

Sorry again [google.com]! ;)

Reflection must be really sorry he started this thread...

[Reflection]

Reflection must be really sorry he started this thread...

Actually I am finding it quite amusing :)

[Kirby]

So do others [google.com].

[Macguru]

Another cheap shot [google.com]!

Sorry...

[iamlost]

As we all know that statistics especially "Google Results" tell the real truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ...

Therefore the following results:

Macguru : about 10,300
Brett_Tabke: about 9,850

Macguru site:webmasterworld.com : about 7,000
Brett-Tabke site:webmasterworld.com : about 3,980

Reveals the shocking "truth" that the real power behind WebmasterWorld is Macguru!

Googlisation - believe it or ....

[Macguru]

About time you people realise this fact!

This board is hosted on Mac classic. :)

"a [google.com]" is still better than me, and "i [google.com]", is not really far behind...

[troels nybo nielsen]

You should not trust everything that you read in this thread. But then of course you might ask if you should trust me [google.dk]?

[brakthepoet]

Of course we trust you [google.dk].