Why does Google censor searches?

Whenever my Google search includes Alex Jones, Illuminati, Bilderberg, Infowars, and what not, google shows me this message:

We're sorry...

... but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now.

We'll restore your access as quickly as possible, so try again soon. In the meantime, if you suspect that your computer or network has been infected, you might want to run a virus checker or spyware remover to make sure that your systems are free of viruses and other spurious software.

If you're continually receiving this error, you may be able to resolve the problem by deleting your Google cookie and revisiting Google. For browser-specific instructions, please consult your browser's online support center.

If your entire network is affected, more information is available in the Google Web Search Help Center.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope we'll see you again on Google.

sorry.google.com...://sorry.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Dalex%2Bjones%2Bradio%26btnG%3DGoogle%2BSearch


And that was a simple "Alex Jones radio search".



What's the deal? Why is Google censoring searches?

Fixed link:

sorry.google.com/sorry/?continue=http://sorry.google.com/search%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Dalex%2Bjones%2Bradio%26btnG%3DGoogle%2BSearch

reply to post by thetruth777


You're using Google Web Accelerator and/or Tor (or any "cloaking" application), right?

Anyway, it's not about you or your searches: it's just that you're using an application - usually an "anonymiser" - that they don't like.









[edit on 21-4-2008 by Vanitas]

i just searched google and got a lot of hits, no sorry page

sounds like you have a virus or trojen affecting yoour browser

Wee Mad

Originally posted by Vanitas
reply to post by thetruth777

 

You're using Google Web Accelerator and/or Tor, right?

Tor.




But still, if I want my privacy, can I not have it?



I recently read an economist article about how Google collects search databases on all its users. They justify the action with advertising, but I have a hunch Department of Homeland Security is involved...



Now, I can't make a Google search with a changed IP!



What's going on?

reply to post by thetruth777


Yes, I figured so - because it happened to me, too.

As I said, it's not really about your search.
It's just their silly (or not) policy.

reply to post by thetruth777


So stop using Google. It is as simple as that. I never use Google. No real reason why, I just never got into the whole Google craze.

Use another search engine.

If you are receiving the

We're sorry... ... but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now.

There is a slight chance that you are using something to make yourself anonymous, but I have been anonymous using it before and did nit get that message. Where you get that message is using special search operators. More specifically there are certain operators that when used proprery can return passwords, usernames, creditcard numbers and more! NO JOKE!

They used not to restrict these searches until it was made apparent the amount of damage someone can do. Even with just the inurl: and filetype: operators you can still find some things that you should not be able to. That is about all that I will elaborate on it.

A lot of people point the fingers at google but I feel it is the fault of the people who put the files up improperly or with wrong permissions etc. A file used in hosting environments called robots.txt is made so you can tell the google bot what files and directories it can and can't index. If you are in charge of sensitive info it is imperative that you know how to use them.

Also it's a double edged sword, if you don't let google look at anything the it won't know what you have and will never know what to send people to your site for. Take for example expertsexchange.com (you know has ll the good answers pertaining to computers but want you to pay for an account to see them.) Next time your on the google search results page click on the "cached" link and scroll to the bottom of the page. This is because they want google to see the answers, not people who use google but that's the two edged sword I spoke of, loopholes.

Yep, even with out Tor, if i use inurl to search pages with \view\ (remember the public webcams?) if I go to the next page 3 times in 2-3 min I also get that message from google. They are just protecting them selves.

I think that the problem is more than what has been described,yesterday, I added some search items to my Google News page, and one item was simply entered as UFO, today's results show only stories that are reported as hoaxes and none that are reported as being anything else!
Can someone reccomend a better search engine please?
Regards,
Horsegiver

I assume you people with this problem are all living in an overt police state like the People's Democratic Republic of China. If that is the case, try to sneak across the border into the former Soviet Union where things are much more liberal. Otherwise, if you're not in China, just use Yahoo. I never have trouble like this here in the northern Samoa, i.e., Canada.

[edit on 25-4-2008 by ipsedixit]

Once again, paranoia and a knee-jerk reaction over-ride common sense. Did you not run a search for more benign terms to see if you were experiencing the same problems before you assumed Google was trying to censor your search? And if you did, why did you make the lie of omission by implying they were targetting specific searches?