Researchers at the University of Amsterdam found that Google’s AI function disproportionately uses websites from GroenLinks-PvdA and D66 when answering general political questions. Smaller parties appeared far less often, and in some cases, the cited sources were unrelated to the actual answer.
Conducted in the run-up to the national elections, the study analyzed more than two hundred recurring search queries. Results showed that larger parties such as GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, and VVD were mentioned significantly more often in AI-generated answers, while smaller parties were barely visible. In some cases, the AI even used sources from GroenLinks-PvdA or D66 to respond to questions about other parties.
In over 20 percent of the cases, the cited sources were irrelevant to the given answer. The researchers point to search engine optimization (SEO) as a major factor: parties that invest more in SEO are more easily found and therefore appear more often as AI sources. This dynamic could create uneven visibility across the political spectrum.
“Parties with greater resources can strategically enhance their online presence, leaving smaller parties less visible,” says researcher Sal Hagen. The findings raise broader concerns about the influence of algorithms and the role of commercial optimization in shaping political information online.
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