Group Wants Google to Dump “Fake News” about Fracking

How far it might get is one thing, but a Texas energy group wants Google to purge or bury what it considers “fake News” websites that spread misinformation about fracking.

Texans for Natural Gas, an industry-funded group has made the request.

“We believe many of the most prominent anti-fracking websites have content that is misleading, false, or offensive—if not all three,” stated the organization in a letter to Google. “As a result, we urge you to consider purging or demoting these websites from your algorithm, which in turn will encourage a more honest public discussion about hydraulic fracturing, and oil and natural gas development in general.”

Texans for Natural Gas argue false information about fracking has been spread environmental groups. It cited the Sierra Club which states on its website that “fracking has contaminated the drinking water of hundreds of thousands of Americans” but cited no evidence to support the claim.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final study on fracking’s impacts on groundwater in late 2016, and found no widespread evidence fracking was contaminating groundwater.

The Sierra club also claimed fracking harmed newborn babies, pointing to a study made in 2015. Yet the co-author denied making such a claim in the study.