Comment on FTC chair Andrew Ferguson warns Google not to filter or suppress emails sent by Republicans over Gmail

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sqgl@sh.itjust.works ⁨6⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

No. A university study.

So when I said “article” I meant the FTC letter OP linked to which, via footnote #2, in turn cites an [article in New York Post ](nypost.com/…/google-caught-flagging-gop-fundraise… directly-to-spam-memo/.) which in turn cites the study.

A 2022 study by researchers at North Carolina State University found that Gmail flagged 59% more Republican fundraising emails as spam than Democratic ones during the leadup to the 2020 presidential election.

“We observed that the [spam filtering algorithms] of different email services indeed exhibit biases towards different political affiliations,” the researchers said at the time.

The consulting firm’s tests involved sending identical emails through Gmail, with the only difference being that one contained a WinRed donation link and the other contained an ActBlue link.

“The only difference between the two emails was the link,” the memo said. “ActBlue delivered. WinRed got flagged. That is not a coincidence.”

But I am confused: was a consultancy firm hired by the university? What kind of study refers to a “memo”.

Even if it is indeed biased, surely Google is a business and can do as it pleases?

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