this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2025
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Google is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementia (www.theverge.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by QuantumSpecter@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 97 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Forget the spokesperson, just ask Google AI directly:

AI on Google Search, including the AI Overviews in search, does not provide summaries on topics involving Donald Trump and dementia. This is due to risk aversion, sensitivity to political topics, and recent legal challenges. Instead, these searches return a list of traditional web links.

Reasons for the lack of response

  • Risk of misinformation: AI-generated conclusions about a public figure's health could spread misinformation. The mental acuity of Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, the oldest presidents in U.S. history, is a topic of public discussion.
  • Avoiding political sensitivity: AI models often have restrictions on sensitive or controversial topics to avoid biased responses. Google and other tech companies are cautious about how their AI products respond to election-related or partisan queries.
  • Legal history with Trump: Google's handling of Trump-related content may be influenced by recent legal and political issues. In 2025, Google paid a $24.5 million settlement in a lawsuit related to the suspension of Trump's YouTube account.
  • Inconsistent application of AI summaries: Some users report that searches about other politicians, like Barack Obama or Joe Biden, may return an AI-generated response, though this varies. This inconsistency has led to criticism that the AI applies selective censorship.

Google's statement A Google spokesperson stated that AI Overview and AI Mode do not always show answers to all queries, especially sensitive or complex ones. The company suggests that users rely on traditional search results in such cases.

[–] Dojan@pawb.social 44 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Okay, but why? LLMs always give a response, they’re trained to give a response regardless of accuracy. This entire wall of text could be completely made up.

[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 35 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So, essentially the same as a company spokesperson!

[–] Dojan@pawb.social 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Absolutely. It's the same untrustworthy substanceless nonsense.

[–] willington@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 weeks ago

We need to concern ourselves with what the corporations do.

Who gives a shit how they explain themselves?

Once the corps do something egregiously bad, we should not ask for an explanation. We should insist they change how they behave. Period.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Now ask it about Biden and dementia and see if it does the same thing. 🤔

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I did both yesterday. Biden returns no result at all.

[–] kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago

I don't believe you. I've tried twice and got the same results both times.

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, we consistently give the wrong answer on any divisive and sensitive topic, but THIS particular issue we will skip because we wouldn't want somebody to feel like we don't have our tongue solidly lodged up their ass

[–] Jason2357@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, it's insanely inept. They could have restricted the AI from answering "any question about a public figure and dementia" or even "the health information about a politician" or whatever if they were genuinely concerned. But they blocked only specifically Trump and dementia? It's almost intentionally obvious.

[–] CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Instead, these searches return a list of traditional web links.

"Oh...oh okay. So you know what that is. Why are unable to provide traditional web links for ALL my searches? Because, I'm gonna be honest with you Google. I never asked for you to 'summarize' my web results and the fact that you can turn it off at your discretion tells me that you could turn it off for everyone."

[–] Goodlucksil@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You don't have to use Google, you know...

[–] CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 weeks ago

Startpage for the win!

[–] kn0wmad1c@programming.dev 5 points 3 weeks ago

Ok, but it has no problem answering about Biden's dementia