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The conflict of interest that is Google
kyrathaba:
I took one logic course in college. Really enjoyed it. Need to review, though (it's been twenty years ago).
mouser:
Paper discussing ways in which google rigs the search results to put themselves at the top:
http://www.benedelman.org/hardcoding/
Hard-Coding Bias in Google "Algorithmic" Search Results
Benjamin Edelman - November 15, 2010
I present categories of searches for which available evidence indicates Google has "hard-coded" its own links to appear at the top of algorithmic search results, and I offer a methodology for detecting certain kinds of tampering by comparing Google results for similar searches. I compare Google's hard-coded results with Google's public statements and promises, including a dozen denials but at least one admission.
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from http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/11/19/234216/Hard-Coded-Bias-In-Google-Search-Results
kyrathaba:
It just goes to show that when a given company becomes this prominent in cornering any sort of market (could be automobiles, oil, etc., but in this case happens to be searches), it leads to abuses.
CodeTRUCKER:
I recently read an article about Google-Analytics "myths." The gist of it was given a number of competitors which are local to each other, the data from G-A will manipulate the search results to "Big G's" advantage.
Consider merchants, "A," "B," and "C." If "C" generates more revenue for Google than either "A" or "B," the search results are manipulated to send more business to "C" even though it takes customers away from "A" and "B," but this knowledge is never communicated to them, for obvious reasons.
I'll post back, if I can find the article.
CodeTRUCKER:
It just goes to show that when a given company becomes this prominent in cornering any sort of market (could be automobiles, oil, etc., but in this case happens to be searches), it leads to abuses.
-kyrathaba (November 19, 2010, 06:03 PM)
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Lord Acton was right... "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
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