By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2011-03-08 18:48:30 | Word Count: 664
I came across a very interesting article this morning on The Huffington Post website surrounding Google and Facebook’s disbursement of content for users so I thought I’d share the information with readers in hopes of gathering your take on it.
According to Eli Pariser, former MoveOn.org executive director and political activist, Google and Facebook are offering users “too much candy and not enough carrots” in terms of content. Eli Pariser warns that the “invisible algorithmic editing of the web via personalized search results, news feeds and other customized content is threatening to limit our exposure to new information and narrow our outlook.”
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Here’s the thing, I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I didn’t realize that this form of tweaking was happening. I guess I knew that there was site personalization offered by search engines but I probably imagined that most of this personalization was optional and voluntary. I was completely oblivious, as Pariser pointed out, that two users can receive drastically different Google search results after querying the same term because the search engine monitors 57 signals to personalize results. To that I say “this can’t be right.” In a nutshell, Google uses an algorithm that is based on our online behavior (including browsing and clicking history) to determine what we will see in our results.
Pardon me, Google, but I’d like to be the one to decide if provided information is relevant to my search or if the information is something I may like to know. Way to create limits on a forum that once seemed so limitless, guys. I search using Google because I’d like access to it all. There is so no need to spoon feed me content. I’m an adult. At this point I think I’ve earned the right to choose my own meals.
These algorithms have successfully created an uninvited box and I want out. While searching through Google I often look to access information that is completely beyond my scope of lifestyle, practice or experience. The last thing I need is to be referred back to what I probably already know when the entire premise of a search is to look for something different.
Don’t get me wrong here, I get Google’s angle; convenience, right? Google was probably only trying to help with this whole “give you what I think you may want” idea. Google must learn that helping runs neck and neck with hurting if one isn’t careful. This one hurts. The “help” would probably be more appreciated if I was looking to live in my own little box for the rest of my life but I’m kind of on the hunt for a little bit more.
No one’s asking Google to change their whole platform but I am certainly asking for an expansion. If you just insist on giving me that you think it is vital for my everyday life how about you also throw in a few randoms just in case, unbeknownst to you, my life could use a dose of those too. We’re cool and all, Google, but I really don’t think you know me like that.
