New Delhi: Google, the tech giant, has confirmed the authenticity of approximately 2,500 leaked internal documents related to its Search feature.
The leaked Search materials were initially reported by search engine optimization (SEO) experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, according to sources.
In a statement provided to The Verge, Google cautioned against drawing inaccurate conclusions about Search based on information that may be out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete.
The company emphasized that it has extensively disclosed information about the workings of Search and the factors considered by its systems, while also emphasizing efforts to safeguard the integrity of search results against manipulation.
The leaked documents reportedly indicate that Google gathers and potentially utilizes data, despite prior statements from company representatives asserting that such data does not influence the ranking of webpages in Google Search.
Nevertheless, the leaked information is expected to prompt concerns within the SEO industry.
According to Fishkin, the leaked documents detail Google’s search API and provide a breakdown of accessible information for employees.
SEO expert King, in his analysis of the documents, stated, “‘Lied’ is a strong word, but it accurately reflects the situation here.”
“While I understand Google’s need to protect its proprietary information, I disagree with their efforts to discredit individuals in the marketing, technology, and journalism sectors who have presented verifiable findings,” he added.
