Missouri AG Investigates Google, Claims Tech Giant 'Manipulating Search Results' Ahead of Elections

Google is under investigation for allegedly "manipulating search results" and exhibiting bias ahead of the 2024 elections, announced Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

Bailey released a statement claiming the tech giant is "censoring conservative speech" during the "most consequential election" in the U.S. "Google is waging war on the democratic process," he wrote on X."It's time to fight back."

The Republican attorney told FOX Business that he plans to subpoena Google to investigate the algorithms behind Google searches and how "conservative speech is deemphasized."

"Evidence has come to light that Google is de-emphasizing conservative speech or content — such as putting conservative reporting on Page 11 rather than Page 1 — by manipulating search results," a spokesperson told The Post.

Various news outlets reached out to Google. The tech company has denied wrongdoing, claiming Google Search is "nonpartisan" and the accusations are "totally false."

"Independent studies have confirmed that Google Search is non-partisan," a Google spokesperson told FOX Business and The Post. "Search serves all our users, and our business rests on showing useful information to everyone — no matter what their political beliefs are."

Back in July, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., launched an investigation into Google after a key feature omitted results for users looking for information on the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.

The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability later expressed concern with how large technology companies leverage their businesses to influence public opinion.

In a letter addressed to tech giants Google and Meta, the committee requested information to better understand "when and how information" is suppressed or modified, "whether it be due to technical error, a policy intended to ensure safety, or a specific intent to mislead."

"Americans rely upon prominent internet search engines such as Google to gather news and information critical to their understanding of national politics and events—and never more so than during a Presidential election season," wrote Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.).

During the last decade, tech giants – including Google, Meta, and X – have been scrutinized for their algorithms as they have become increasingly popular news-gathering tools for users around the world.

According to World Population Review, a nonprofit organization that examines data, Google is the most-used search engine on the planet with more than 154 billion monthly visits. Per the nonprofit, Google's monthly traffic in the U.S. consists of more than 18 billion visits.