The search engine for ARGUMENTS: Engineers plan to make a tool to help settle complex political online discussions

These days, many an argument over trivial questions like the year a celebrity died or when an historical event happened can be settled with a quick search on Google. But search engines could soon be used to settle more complex arguments, involving serious political debate. A group of researchers in Germany are looking into ways to use search engines to shed light on the most complex political discussions. In just seconds, digital systems should be able to evaluate millions of documents, such as online discussions on controversial topics like the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The'Robust Argumentation Machines' project has been set up by Bielefeld University in Germany.