We’ve developed the Transparint Platform to be the most comprehensive tool for quickly and systematically identifying adverse media and negative news.

But we know that many compliance departments still rely on search engines, such as Google, as the main tool to identify negative information. While there are several reasons why this is not the best method, the below examples are absolute errors that should not be part of an effective negative news search string.

1. Deprecated Operators

Based on a number of reasons, Google has deprecated the functionality of several search operators that are commonly used in negative news search strings.

The biggest update has come from the removal of the Boolean + operator. Based on Google’s advanced operator page, the addition of a plus sign to a search term now either prompts the lookup of Google+ pages or a blood type.

Another deprecated, but commonly used connector by AML investigators, is the tilde (~) character, which when appended to the front of a word prompted Google to include synonyms for the search term.

Any negative news search string utilizing these connectors is no longer technically valid.

– For more information on the deprecated plus sign (+) functionality click here

– For more information on the the deprecated tilde (~) operator click here

2. Lower Case “OR” Connectors

The “OR” operator is an essential element of any good negative news search string, and is used to chain together lists of derogatory key words that may have a connection with your search focus’ name. To use this operator correctly, it MUST be capitalized. This is an extremely common mistake, and a lower case “OR” will not correctly be interpreted as the Boolean operator intended.

3. Too Many Words

While stuffing as many negative key terms in a search string may seem like a good way to ensure that all available negative information will be uncovered, Google only recognizes the first 32 words in a query.

All words after 32 will be ignored, and Google will provide you with the below message.

4. The “AND” Operator is Unnecessary

Google automatically appends the “AND” operator between search terms, so there is no need to include it in a search string. While adding an “AND” won’t make your search string invalid, it does add a small amount of additional time and expands the complexity of your search sting, increasing the possibility of typos.

The above rules only apply to Google, and every different search engine follows slightly different rules. While Google can be a useful tool, compliance officers shouldn’t have to worry about correctly crafting complex search strings, or keeping up to date on Google”s search policy changes to find the information they need.