Within Own Research
Why the First Results Can Mislead
Obscure phrases and breaking claims can create empty search spaces where low-quality sources look more important than they are.
On this page
- What makes a data void exploitable
- Breaking news, slogans, and obscure phrases
- Better search paths through names, dates, and documents
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Introduction
A data void is a gap in the online information environment where a search query has little reliable material associated with it. In these situations, the first search results can be far more influential than they would be for well-established topics because there is little trustworthy content available to compete with them. The result is a “first results trap”: users may assume that the top few links reflect a broad body of evidence when, in reality, they may be seeing a thin, distorted, or deliberately manipulated slice of information. This matters for anyone trying to do their own research because search rankings are often interpreted as evidence of credibility, even when the search space itself is unusually empty. Researchers on information disorders have identified data voids as a recurring vulnerability that can expose users to misinformation, conspiracy narratives, and other low-quality content. [Data & Society+2Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
What Makes a Data Void Exploitable?
The common assumption behind web search is that every query has a substantial body of relevant information behind it. Data voids challenge that assumption.
Michael Golebiewski and danah boyd, whose work popularised the concept, describe data voids as situations where obscure or emerging search terms have few associated results. Because search systems still need to return something, low-quality pages can become disproportionately visible. In normal information environments, weak sources must compete with many stronger ones. In a data void, that competition may barely exist. [Data & Society+2Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
Several conditions make these gaps especially vulnerable to manipulation:
- Low information supply: Few authoritative pages exist for the query.
- Sudden attention spikes: A phrase or event rapidly becomes newsworthy before reliable reporting catches up.
- Invented or niche terminology: Searchers use unusual wording that lacks an established information ecosystem.
- Strategic content creation: Activists, propagandists, marketers, or conspiracy communities deliberately create content around the gap before others do. [Data & Society+2Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
The danger is not that search engines intentionally promote misinformation. Rather, the ranking system is trying to answer a query for which high-quality answers may barely exist. Under those circumstances, being highly ranked can reflect scarcity rather than reliability.
Why the First Results Feel More Convincing Than They Are
Most users rarely move beyond the first page of search results. This behavioural pattern turns ranking into a powerful signal. When people see several pages repeating similar claims, they may infer that the claims are widely supported, even when those pages ultimately trace back to the same small network of sources. [Data & Society]datasociety.netData Society Data Voids Final 3Microsoft Research and Data & Society. Data Voids: Where Missing Data. Can Easily Be Exploited datasociety.net. May 2018. MICHAEL GOLEBIE…
The first results trap works because users often evaluate information in relative rather than absolute terms. If the top results all appear to support a claim, the absence of visible disagreement can feel like evidence. In a data void, however, the apparent consensus may simply reflect a lack of alternative material.
Research on search behaviour and misinformation has shown that searching to evaluate claims does not always improve accuracy. In some circumstances, users who search for verification encounter unreliable content and become more likely to believe false or misleading claims. Researchers identify exposure to poor-quality search results as an important part of this problem. [Nature]nature.comSpecifically, we test a…Read more…
The lesson is not that searching is harmful. The lesson is that searching within an impoverished information space can create a misleading sense of confirmation.
Breaking News, Slogans, and Obscure Phrases
When Events Move Faster Than Reliable Reporting
Breaking news creates one of the most common forms of data void.
Immediately after a major event, people search for names, slogans, images, or fragments of information before journalists, researchers, or official organisations have produced substantial coverage. During this window, speculative or misleading content can occupy prominent positions simply because little else exists. [Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
Researchers studying search engines have identified “rapidly changing” result environments as a distinct category of data void. Modern search systems sometimes display warnings when they detect that reliable information is still emerging, although studies suggest that such warnings appear inconsistently and may miss many low-quality information gaps. [Cyber Policy Center]cyber.fsi.stanford.edudata voids and warning banners google searchCyber Policy CenterData Voids and Warning Banners on Google Search | FSI25 Feb 2025 — Google Search attempts to help its users navigate t…
Slogans and Catchphrases
Short slogans are particularly vulnerable because they often enter public conversation before contextual explanations exist.
A phrase may suddenly trend on social media, prompting thousands of people to search for it. If only a handful of websites discuss the phrase, those sites can shape the public understanding of its meaning. Researchers have documented how manipulators intentionally target unusual search terms and slogans because they are easier to dominate than broad topics with extensive coverage. [Data & Society+2Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
Obscure Names and Newly Coined Terms
The same problem occurs when a person encounters a strange acronym, an unfamiliar organisation, or a newly invented label. The search query may appear specific and precise, but specificity does not guarantee quality. Sometimes it produces the opposite effect: a tiny pool of results in which a few pages gain outsized influence.
This is one reason conspiracy movements often promote distinctive terminology. Unique phrases can create search pathways that lead newcomers directly into a curated information environment rather than a broad evidence base. [Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
A Concrete Failure Mode: Searching the Claim Instead of the Topic
One of the easiest ways to fall into a data void is to search using the exact language supplied by a viral post.
Imagine encountering a claim that a newly named programme, operation, or event is evidence of a hidden conspiracy. If you search only the unusual phrase introduced by the post, you may enter a highly constrained information space populated largely by people already discussing that narrative.
The search itself then becomes self-reinforcing. The user finds pages discussing the claim, interprets their existence as corroboration, and overlooks the possibility that the query has filtered out broader context.
Researchers studying data voids have repeatedly noted that manipulators exploit this dynamic by encouraging audiences to search specific terms rather than investigate the underlying issue more broadly. [Data & Society+2Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
Better Search Paths Through Names, Dates, and Documents
The most effective defence against the first results trap is often to change the search rather than merely inspect more results.
When a query seems unusually obscure, try rebuilding it around verifiable anchors:
- Search for the people involved rather than a slogan.
- Search for the event date and location.
- Search for official documents, reports, court filings, or press releases.
- Search for multiple descriptions of the same event using different wording.
- Search for coverage from organisations that did not originate the claim.
These approaches move the investigation from a narrow information pocket to a wider evidence landscape.
For example, instead of searching an unfamiliar catchphrase, search the organisation associated with it. Instead of searching a viral label for an event, search the event’s date, participants, and primary documents. Instead of searching a rumour’s nickname, search for the underlying facts the rumour claims to explain.
The goal is not to avoid search engines. It is to avoid letting a single unusual query define the entire evidence base.
What a Healthy Research Habit Looks Like
When a search produces only a handful of results, the correct response is often caution rather than confidence.
A healthy sceptical habit is to ask:
- Is this topic genuinely well documented?
- Am I seeing independent sources or the same claim repeated?
- Does this search term have an obvious history outside the community promoting it?
- Would a different query produce a different picture?
- Are there primary documents that bypass the search term altogether?
Data voids are powerful because they exploit a natural assumption: if information appears in search results, it must represent the available evidence. In reality, some queries produce a distorted map of the information landscape. Recognising when a search space is unusually empty is an important part of doing your own research without accidentally mistaking the first available answers for the strongest ones. [Nature+3Data & Society+3Data & Society]datasociety.netData & Society Data VoidsData & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c…
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Books and field guides related to Why the First Results Can Mislead. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
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Endnotes
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Source: datasociety.net
Title: Data & Society Data Voids
Link: https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Data-Voids-2.0-Final.pdfSource snippet
Data & SocietyData VoidsNovember 18, 2019 — Data voids are one such way that search users can be led into disinformation or manipulated c...
Published: November 18, 2019
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Source: datasociety.net
Title: Data Society Data Voids Final 3
Link: https://datasociety.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Data_Society_Data_Voids_Final_3.pdfSource snippet
Microsoft Research and Data & Society. Data Voids: Where Missing Data. Can Easily Be Exploited datasociety.net. May 2018. MICHAEL GOLEBIE...
Published: May 2018
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Source: nature.com
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06883-ySource snippet
Specifically, we test a...Read more...
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Source: cyber.fsi.stanford.edu
Title: data voids and warning banners google search
Link: https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/publication/data-voids-and-warning-banners-google-searchSource snippet
Cyber Policy CenterData Voids and Warning Banners on Google Search | FSI25 Feb 2025 — Google Search attempts to help its users navigate t...
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Source: datasociety.net
Title: data voids
Link: https://datasociety.net/library/data-voids/Source snippet
29 Oct 2019 — ” Golebiewski and boyd first introduced data voids in the May 2018 version of this report. Read it here. Data & Society Log...
Published: May 2018
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Source: gcdi.commons.gc.cuny.edu
Title: data voids data society
Link: https://gcdi.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2019/11/12/data-voids-data-society/Source snippet
Voids | Data & Society12 Nov 2019 — In this Data & Society report, Michael Golebiewski and danah boyd identify the types of data voids in...
Additional References
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Source: rcmediafreedom.eu
Link: https://www.rcmediafreedom.eu/Resources/Reports-and-papers/Data-Voids.-Where-Missing-Data-Can-Easily-Be-ExploitedSource snippet
Where Missing Data Can Easily Be ExploitedData voids can come both naturally and through manipulation. Unusual search terms can lead user...
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Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/%40VerifyHQ/inside-the-data-void-how-false-ai-facts-spread-faster-than-truth-practical-edition-448994b18042Source snippet
AI generates misinformation faster than they can verify. Fact-Checking Automation Tools. Full Fact Toolkit (UK) —...Read more...
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Source: ischool.berkeley.edu
Link: https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/news/2019/danah-boyd-warns-against-disinformation-data-voidsSource snippet
hor danah boyd examine the topic of data voids and the dangers they pose for manipulation by those seeking...Read more...
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Source: researchgate.net
Title: 356909935 Data Voids Where Missing Data Can Easily Be Exploited
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356909935_Data_Voids_Where_Missing_Data_Can_Easily_Be_ExploitedSource snippet
Data Voids: Where Missing Data Can Easily Be Exploited1 Apr 2026 — The work by Golebiewski and Boyd [21] on data voids in search engines...
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Source: diggitmagazine.com
Title: data voids what are they and do they threaten democracy
Link: https://www.diggitmagazine.com/articles/data-voids-what-are-they-and-do-they-threaten-democracySource snippet
Data voids: What are they and do they threaten democracy?15 Nov 2020 — “These voids occur when obscure search queries have few results as...
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Source: microsoft.com
Title: data voids where missing data can easily be exploited
Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/data-voids-where-missing-data-can-easily-be-exploited/Source snippet
Data Voids: Where Missing Data Can Easily Be Exploited29 Oct 2019 — Data Voids demonstrates how manipulators expose people to problematic...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJYIzQFx_7kSource snippet
Trusted Elections Network: What are data voids and how can journalists address them?...
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Source: mediawell.ssrc.org
Title: data voids data society
Link: https://mediawell.ssrc.org/news-items/data-voids-data-society/?pdf=53635Source snippet
VoidsMichael Golebiewski of Microsoft coined the term “data void” in May 2018 to describe search engine queries that turn up little to no...
Published: May 2018
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Source: blog.siemens.com
Link: https://blog.siemens.com/2025/10/data-voids-the-hidden-gaps-that-can-mislead-ai/Source snippet
Voids: The Hidden Gaps That Can Mislead AI14 Oct 2025 — These holes are called data voids – topics or terms for which little or no reliab...
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Source: linkedin.com
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/does-googles-ai-lie-risks-ai-generated-search-results-ayub-ansary-q5r6cSource snippet
rch results without verification. Why Did AI Get It Wrong...Read more...
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