The leaked documents about the search algorithm are real

Google confirmed to the edgeon Wednesday (29) the authenticity of 2,500 leaked internal documents providing details about how the big tech search engine’s algorithm works.

Google confirms the authenticity of leaked search documents

• Google has confirmed the authenticity of 2,500 leaked internal documents detailing the workings of its search engine algorithm. The documents provide an unprecedented, if still limited, view of the system;
• The documents reveal that Google monitors data that the classification algorithm can use, although the company stresses caution in interpreting this information, which may be out of context or outdated.
• SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King were the first to report the existence of the leaked documents, which suggest that Google may be using user and clickstream data on Chrome, which contradicts the company’s previous statements;
• Thousands of pages serve as a repository of information for Google employees, but it’s unclear what data is actually used to rank search content. In addition, the information may be out of date or used for training purposes only.

The documents in question detail Google’s data monitoring, which is data that can be used by the ranking algorithm, and is protected under lock and key. In doing so, they offer an unprecedented, if still obscure, peek into one of the most important systems that shape the web.

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“We urge caution when making inaccurate assumptions about search based on out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information,” Google spokesperson Davis Thompson told The Verge in an email. “We share comprehensive information about how research works and the types of factors our systems take into account, while also working to protect the integrity of our results from tampering.”

Leaked documents reveal (some of) Google search ‘tools’

The existence of the leaked materials was initially described by SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, who published preliminary analyzes of the documents earlier this week.

Leaked materials suggest that big tech companies are collecting (and possibly) using data that company representatives said does not contribute to page rankings in Google Search, such as clicks and data from Chrome users.

Thousands of pages of documents serve as a repository of information for Google employees, but it’s unclear which pieces of detailed data are actually used to classify search content.

IMPORTANT WARNING: Information may be out of date, used strictly for training purposes, or collected but not used specifically for research. The documents also do not reveal how the various elements in the paper were weighed, if at all.

Google is generally tight-lipped about how its search algorithm works, but these leaked documents — along with recent testimony in an antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice — provide more clarity about what big tech companies consider when listing sites in searches. Users.