Google wanted to 'manipulate choices' to become default search engine: behavioral expert Antonio Rangel

Google fought hard to be the default search engine on smartphones and browsers so it “can manipulate your choices,” an expert on human behavior testified for the government at the closely watched antitrust trial Thursday.

Antonio Rangel, a behavioral economist and professor at the California Institute of Technology, took the stand for the second day and said Google has leaned heavily on default settings to keep users hooked on its search engine and other lucrative services.

“If I can move your eyes, if I can manipulate your fixations, I can manipulate your choices quite a bit,” Rangel said, according to Bloomberg.

Rangel highlighted the importance of default status for winning customers, stating that users generally stick with whatever browser is set as the default option on their computers and smartphones.