Pepper spray university says sorry for search manipulation

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Pepper spray university says sorry for search manipulation

By Kevin Rawlinson
BBC News

21 April 2016 Technology

The chancellor of a university has apologised over the hiring of a PR firm that promised to bury online search results about the pepper spraying of peaceful protesters.

Linda Katehi admitted that UC Davis, California, brought in a company "specialising in what is known as search engine optimisation".

But she denied that the institution had sought to "rewrite history".

Ms Katehi has faced calls to resign over the 2011 incident and its fallout.

Earlier this month, the Sacramento Bee newspaper reported that UC Davis hired the PR firm Nevins and Associates on a six-month contract at $15,000 (£10,400) per month.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36102959

[Kalidurga]

1. Sorry you got upset about that and took your upset viral

making it so much harder to rewrite history. I am pretty sure that is what they meant to say.

[saturnsring]

3. has it stopped?

[Igel]

6. What they've done? Sure.

But there are still groups that want to do the same thing for political purposes and think skewing Internet searches is a Great Virtue, as long as they do it in ways they think are appropriate.

Same thing, it's just who's doing it that determines virtue or vice. Those who are good do good, whatever they do; those who are bad do only bad, unless they do what those who are good demand.

[Buzz Clik]

4. Man, this has been a tough road for Katehi.

I actually knew her in a previous professional iteration for both of us. She was a fantastic leader with vision and strength. Watching this makes me wonder if she is playing out the Peter principle.

[NCjack]

5. Katehl's mind whisper: We could do it. But it would be wrong. OK, do it. /nt