Google’s Communications team recently took to X to clarify its Search Autocomplete feature following user complaints and misconceptions.
Autocomplete’s Purpose & Functionality
Addressing claims of search term censorship Google stated:
“Autocomplete is just a tool to help you complete a search quickly.”
Google notes that users can always search for their intended queries regardless of Autocomplete predictions.
Recent Issues Explained
Google acknowledged two specific problems that had sparked user concerns.
Addressing lack of predictions for certain political queries, Google says:
“Autocomplete wasn’t providing predictions for queries about the assassination attempt against former President Trump.”
Google claims this was due to”built-in protections related to political violence” that were outdated.
The company said it’s working on improvements that are “already rolling out.”