CultNews was a member of “Google News” for about two years, but was dropped early this month without notice. 

Google News is an on-line feature of the Internet search engine giant, which specifically is devoted to browsing about 4,500 members continuously as news sources.

More than once stories from CultNews have been featured prominently on the front page of Google News.

According to Google its news service provides results “without human intervention.” And “news sources are selected without regard to political viewpoint or ideology.”

However, after an inquiry was made last week to determine why CultNews was recently dropped, the response indicated that this was done through “human intervention.”

The “Google Team” stated in an e-mail received Friday June 23rd the following:

“Thank you for your note. Upon recent review of your site we found that we can no longer include it in Google News. We do not include sites that are written and maintained by individuals. We appreciate your taking the time to contact us and will log your site for consideration should our requirements change.”

What this means is that Internet users will no longer be able to pick up breaking stories from CultNews regarding controversial groups like Scientology, by launching searches specifically through Google News.

This does not mean that the main behemoth search engine Google will cease going through and gathering links to information within CultNews or its sponsor the Ross Institute of New Jersey. The recent change rather only will affect the breaking news search feature provided by Google.

CultNews has at times been the point of origin for news stories on the Internet. Subsequently, that information was often picked up by the mainstream media and CultNews was frequently cited as a source and/or quoted.

Cults, controversial groups and movements are of course only one small niche of the news, but CultNews has made every effort to provide the public with timely, interesting, relevant reports and analysis focused on that small corner of the news universe.

Other technology makes it possible for CultNews readers to continue to stay abreast regarding breaking news stories at this blog without relying upon Google News.

Check out the RSS feature located on this page (see “Meta” box by scrolling down left side) so you can keep up with CultNews using that technology, which essentially provides for continuously accessing fresh content at this site.

This recent Google News change in policy will not affect the quality or quantity of information, which will continue to flow from CultNews.  

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5 comments untill now

  1. And yet Google uses crap by PR9.net–ads disguised as news which can be posted by anyone–and puts that in their Google News….

    Will they ever get a clue?

  2. KerrAvon @ 2006-06-29 07:14

    Very strange things appear to be happening at Google lately. Recently the Google Groups account of a pro $cientology internet abuser appears to have been reactivated at approximately the same time the Google Groups account of an anti $cientology poster to alt.religion.scientology was banned.

    With Cult News’ recent removal from Google News, it would appear “human intervention” is taking place within sections of Google against sources critical of the $cientology crime syndicate. It further appears the black PR operatives supporting the cult are given virtual immunity from what Google advertises as its Terms Of Use.

    Cult News’ sudden removal from Google News after two years is a disservice to Google News readers, as Cult News has often led the way with breaking news about the $cientology crime syndicate and other destructive cults.

  3. jfrouman @ 2006-07-07 08:12

    Dude,I’m glad they banned it,cult news sucks,it’s just a bunch of sensationalist hype. Has cult news ever heard of freedom of religion?Sure cult news has freedom of speech,but so does Scientology and lots of other New Religious Movements.I’d say the internet abuser is cult news. How can cult news be taken as a serious news reporting agency when the spin on New Religious Movements or “cults” is to make everyone who is in any way not from the mainstream religions to be branded as criminals.I wouldn’t be surprised if one day cult news gets a lawsuit.No wonder they banned it as they are not doing the world any service,maybe some cults are destructive but cult news obviously doesn’t have a clue which ones are and just makes blanket statements and picks on people just for their religious beliefs.
    It must have been a conspiracy againt “cult news” that they banned cult news maybe the head of google is a scientologist…or it could have been Madonna or Kaballah.

  4. DUDE, jfrouman! What kind of a TOOL are you? Obviously a useful one for mindless thought-control and abusive cults. Sell your brand of crazy elsewhere…no one here is buying, DUDE. Loser.

  5. Dear jfrouman,

    Did Scientology get to you??? If so, GET OFF THIS SITE, YOU WEIRDO!!!!!!!!