Six-year-old story pops up on Google News, triggering United Airlines share price collapse

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Three cheers for automated technology! The Google News “Googlebot” search routine decided last weekend that a six-year-old story regarding United Airlines filing for bankruptcy was new and exciting.

The automated news site posted the Chicago Tribune report – originally written on December 10 of 2002 – as new news at the top of its business section, dated it with the day’s date and sent UA shareholders into a CRAZED SELLING PANIC, bringing down the share price by a staggering 76%…