[bratticus]

The interesting thing about this article is that it got re-titled.

When Google news first scraped it the title was: Concerned over health risks and cost, residents fight smart meters
‎
Now it is: Residents fight smart meters

Here's a screen shot of the remnants of the original title that Google news still returns because it doesn't re-scrape after title changes occur:



and the article now, it still mentions health concerns but way down into the text now.

Residents fight smart meters‎
Utilities mull opt-out clause to appease a small group of people who don't want them.
By Melanie Hicken / Burbank Leader / May 13, 2011
Erik Bottema isn’t enthused about the city’s plans to install a high-tech “smart meter” at his north Glendale home.

Earlier this year, he ordered a contractor hired by Glendale Water & Power to install the new meters off of his property. He has since contemplated installing a cage around his
... But Bottema and a small group of Glendale and Burbank residents have resisted, saying they’re concerned about the health impacts of the radio waves that the wireless meters emit. They also say the utility’s ability to view electric and water usage as it occurs is intrusive and could change the rate structure.meter to prevent its replacement.

Glendale and Burbank officials have lauded thei
... But Bottema and a small group of Glendale and Burbank residents have resisted, saying they’re concerned about the health impacts of the radio waves that the wireless meters emit. They also say the utility’s ability to view electric and water usage as it occurs is intrusive and could change the rate structure.r respective multimillion-dollar smart-grid projects — which will allow two-way communication with the utility and let customers track real-time water and electricity consumption — as an exciting technological advancement.

But Bottema and a small group of Glendale and Burbank residents have resisted, saying they’re concerned about the health impacts of the radio waves that the wireless meters emit. They also say the utility’s ability to view electric and water usage as it occurs is intrusive and could change the rate structure.

“It’s a huge Big Brother issue,” Bottema said. “I work in law enforcement and I find it crazy. It makes me angry that they are going to do this.” ...

Isn't it great that someone can just say: "we don't want you to emphasize that in this article" and reporters can dynamically change their articles now?

[steam_cannon]

That's how news normally works:
1. A news article is written posted on a site free of adds in the article. And this is done in three days of the news so it's fresh enough for google.
2. The article is submitted to google news or google finds it in that time.
3. Final edits may happen after it's posted, because time is of the essence.

What I see with that article:
1. The article was posted and edited later, very normal.
2. The title was edited to de-emphasized fear of magnetic fields which sounds crazy and shouldn't have been the focus of the article unless that publisher wanted to affirm that occasional weak magnetic communication on the other side of a brick wall should be a concern and it shouldn't.

So everything looks on the up and up to me. Now the article is now more focused and still covers all the bases. Regarding magnetic fields, are magnetic fields a concern? I think the cellphones people stick to their head should be more of a concern then this technology, so it makes sense that the title was edited. What's more relevant is that the utility is tightening up their metering and the people affected are concerned this will mean higher costs, which it probably will. Also if the meter records what times you flushed your toilets , that level of detail would embarrass most people. So I think the article outlined legitimate concerns, but it did need some editing which is what happened.

[bratticus]

I have had enough of your rational explanations.

[steam_cannon]

Whatever, anyway it would more correct to point out that google does a lot of censorship in other ways and data tracking. So perhaps that would be worth discussing.


Also admin, shouldn't this be in the "Americas Discussion" or the "Open Topic Discussion" and not in the "Medical Issues Forum"?

[Newfie]

Interstingly yesterday our NPR affiliate had a bit on Google and data mining. Google apparently responsde differently to your search entries depending upon who you are. Three people Googling the same thing may get very different responses. According to the chap it is quite discriminating. He tested it a number of times using people of the same age, demographic, etc. But their interests were different and thus they got differnt results based upon what Google thinks you will like and to maximize their profits.

So there clearly is some censorship, but of a different kind.

[Plantagenet]

Google apparently responsde differently to your search entries depending upon who you are. Three people Googling the same thing may get very different responses. According to the chap it is quite discriminating. He tested it a number of times using people of the same age, demographic, etc. But their interests were different and thus they got differnt results based upon what Google thinks you will like and to maximize their profits.

Hmmm.....just like Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" where the "alphas" and "betas" get quite different information from the teaching machines.