Altcoin News: Google’s Sudden Interest in BTC Linked to Hurricane Dorian

September 6, 2019, by Marko Vidrih on ALTCOIN MAGAZINE

Internet searches suddenly began to show unprecedented interest in the Bitcoin ticker or in some other item with the designation “BTC”, the Cointelegraph draws attention.

According to Google Trends, from August 29 to August 31, the number of BTC-related inquiries in the world as a whole increased from 2 to an absolute maximum, which corresponds to a value of 100. By September 3, the figure fell to 74 points.

Image credit: Google Trends

All this time, interest in the keyword “bitcoin” remained quite low and amounted to 8 points, although in the past it was “bitcoin” that was especially popular among Google users, while “BTC” was almost never encountered.

“Now, it appears Google searches for bitcoin and BTC, the name used by traders for the bitcoin digital token, could be being manipulated–-possibly in order to move the bitcoin price,” writes Forbes.

The authors also refer to the Kryptografen portal, which states that the most tangible upsurge in interest in BTC was seen in Romania:

“It is reasonable to assume that someone is behind these radical changes.”

There is a simpler explanation — it is connected with the storm Dorian that was raging these days in the Bahamas. “BTC” is not only a Bitcoin ticker but also a designation for the Bahamian telecommunications company. In addition to human casualties, the hurricane was marked by the failure of local telecommunication networks, including BTC.

Thus, the version that search queries are being manipulated, especially in order to increase the rate of Bitcoin, can be nothing more than another attempt by popular media to expose the cryptocurrency industry in an unflattering light.

Author: Marko Vidrih