Is Google Favoring Itself In Its Search Results?

Once again, web skeptics are leveling complaints that Google is doctoring search results to favor its own services.

A study by two Harvard professors claims that Google links to its own services three times as often as other search engines do. Google, like other search engines, uses its own algorithm to determine search results, incorporating user-given material like clickthrough rate.

As the country's dominant search engine, Google's longheld stance that their search results are objective and unbiased have come under scrutiny before. Especially given Google's continual expansion into all corners of the Internet, worries that the site is giving preference to its own services (such as Maps and Mail) at the expense of other sites proffering similar materials have only intensified.

According to the study, Google and Yahoo both favor their own services at a disproportionate rate, while Bing remains the most "objective." But some critics doubt the conclusions the professors drew from their data.

One concern: when the searches were performed--in August 2010, Yahoo was not yet powered by Microsoft search engine Bing. Moreover, search results change perpetually, making the use of any historical search result at least somewhat inaccurate to any time but its own.

The sample of search terms was limited--only 32 terms were used (of the near-unlimited number of queries that people are inputting each minute). Additionally, terms which revealed favoritism, like "email," "video" and "RSS reader," all point to Google services which are already the dominant platforms on the web--hardly surprising. Does anyone question that YouTube is the leading video site on the web?

Given the proliferating densification of the Internet, Google's supposed curation may point to a different, increasingly important issue--search engine "noise," a.k.a., too many irrelevant results that cloud the user's ability to find the information they need.

Though it can't be denied favoritism must be a concern when it comes to maintaining fair competition, Google runs on an algorithm that at its core is designed to favor certain sites over others--the relevant over the irrelevant.

Comments

[reshmi1]

02:08 AM on 02/02/2011

Giving attention to Google's "Irish" income-shi fting scam that saw them pay no more that 9.7% in federal income tax in any country that they operated in last year. They garnered so much CASH from that scam that it was raises for every employee .. http://bit.ly/ePS6Rq

[BIG Classes]

12:23 AM on 01/26/2011

Greetings from BigClasses.com Interactive Online Training!! We are starting new batch of INFORMATICA. Two Trail Classes are free.
Training Highlights:
* We provide Online Training. We make sure for a right class size in order to make sessions most interactive.
* 2 hours of Theory and practice lectures are conducted by industry expert consultants in the weekdays.
* Self-evaluation tests and final exit exam
* Exercises are assigned that simulate real world assignments to boost your skill and confidence.
* The instructions are conducted by industry experts in an environment that provides access to technical resources equivalent to those found in the actual work environment.
* Excellent Lab Manuals and E-Books, Online Doubts Clarification
* Support candidate in resume preparation, interview preparation and self-evaluation test. About BigClases Online Training BigClasses.com Online Training is a one stop, online IT Training solutions provider.
We are fully equipped with all the modern training facilities and eventually expanding our business operations across the world. Over the years BigClasses.com Online Training has trained consultants across the globe including countries such as USA, UK, France, Germany, Canada, India, Australia, Singapore and UAE.
To Attend Online Free Demo, you need a link which will be sent by mail. To register: Send an e-mail to the Undersigned. -- Best Regards, Anand | BigClasses Online Training [e-mail] | USA: 302 525 2655 | India : [phone] . Website: www.bigclasses.com

[BIG Classes]

12:22 AM on 01/26/2011

Hi, BigClasses is one of the upcoming software assistance and online software training team which has its network across the globe. Dynamic team of industry experienced professionals who have catered their full-fledged services for the development of online training institutes is running the institute with firm standards. We have a team of real-time experienced technocrats in various fields like Data warehousing, SAP, Microsoft Technologies, Testing, etc. Vast experience of professionals, great strategies in online trainings, tailor-made modules according to the updated versions, and many significant features differentiate us from other training institutes. We are one of the best rated software training team, who are offering online software training from India. We offer you efficient yet affordable online software training with quality as the main objective. Our online education experts’ team assists you in every phase of your online education.
Visit us for more details: http://www.bigclasses.com Email Id: [e-mail] Ph NO: USA + 1 302 525 2655 INDIA : 91- 8008114040

[BIG Classes]

12:21 AM on 01/26/2011

BigClasses.com focuses on innovative, results-oriented solutions with a singular, over-riding purpose: to improve student learning. We are pioneers in providing premier, Web-enhanced instruction through innovative and relevant solutions.
We believe in structuring our Web-enhanced solutions on the most forward-thinking research into how children learn with technology:
• We always incorporate multisensory experiences to create richer, more complete learning.
• We understand the place of game-based learning, fun and play to make learning more effective and engaging for today's tech-savvy students.
• We always provide opportunities for students to model the new skills they are gaining, creating stronger connections to their learning.
Our Services:
Online IT Training
Corporate Training
Project Support
Staffing Solutions

Microsoft Technologies Courses:
.Net Technologies, Sharepoint 2010, MS BI

Oracle Courses:
Oracle 11g, Oracle DBA,RAC, Oracle Apps

Data warehousing courses:
Informatica, Cognos, DataStage, OBIEE, Microstrategy, MS BI, BO XI, BO DI, TeraData, SAP BW BI

SAP Courses:
ABAP/CA, FI CO, BO BW BI

OTHER DATA WAREHOUSING TOOLS OFFERED:
Reporting Tools: Business Objects, OBIEE, MicroStrategy, Hyperion.
ETL Tools : Informatica, Data Stage, BODI, Abinitio.
Other Tools : MS BI, TeraData, SAS.

OTHER TRAININGS OFFERED:
* SAP
* Microsoft Technologies
* Java
* Testing Tools
Visit: www.bigclasses.com
CONTACT US: [e-mail] USA: 1-302 525 2655 INDIA: 91-800 811 4040 for Career Advice
Skype ID: Gtalk ID: Yahoo ID: Hotmail ID: bigclasses

[BIG Classes]

12:18 AM on 01/26/2011

Dear Friends,
We are happy to introduce ourselves BigClasses.com, offering Placement Oriented Training in ALL areas of Data Warehousing, SAP, Java, .Net , and QA Testing by Real time and certified Professionals.
We offer Interactive Online Training (Live Server from US)
Data Warehousing Courses @ BigClasses.com:
Informatica
Cognos
OBIEE
Data Stage
MS BI
BO XI
SAP BW BI
Micro Strategy
Tera Data

Other Courses @ BigClasses.com
SAS, SAS Project, QA Testing, QTP In-depth, JAVA, J2EE, .net, Oracle,
Features:
• Limited no.of students per batch
• Easy and convenient learning
• Lab access available even after the course completion
• Help on Resume preparations
• Placement Assistance for Proven candidates
• Excellent Material Downloads with FAQS
• Lab Exercises and Solutions for the chosen Subject
• Weekday and weekend batches available
• Demo on Live Servers
For further details please visit us at www.bigclasses.com
Or
Mail us at [e-mail]
Or
Contact: USA: 1-302 -525-2655 / India: 91 800 811 4040

[MyTake]

04:40 PM on 01/22/2011

Gee, it took TWO Harvard Professors to figure this out!

An America "monopoly" at "cooks" its books and tilts everything too their favor and profit.

And when profit is involved for an American Corporation, who is headed up by "creepy" CEO, I am guessing that wonderful "algorithm" is skewed towards profits at all costs.

Maybe these two Prof's can now turn their attention to Google's "Irish" income-shifting scam that saw them pay no more that 4.5% in federal income tax in any country that they operated in last year. They garnered so much CASH from that scam that it was raises for every employee and bonuses all around to their Administrators.

And if they need help, Larry Summers will be back at Harvard shortly to give them a hand in how the Corporate State can screw the hell out of any government on the planet!

[DurantImboden]

04:25 PM on 01/22/2011

For what it's worth, Dogpile, Bing, Altavista, and Wikipedia all ranked ahead of Google for the term "search engine" when I did a Google search a moment ago.

[WaPoFan]

03:57 PM on 01/21/2011

Um is this a surprise?! Shareholders should be concerned if it was not the case.

[Sizzmo]

01:37 PM on 01/21/2011

Reason I use Google over others like Bing: Search for "Search engine" in Bing, and see which major search engine isnt in top results... do the same in Google, and see which search engine is second

[SuperBenFranklin]

12:16 PM on 01/21/2011

Google is an ad company. The customers are companies. The users are products.

Of course they are evil.

[maidenofdforest]

11:56 AM on 01/21/2011

It is possible. A big slice of the market share is what is everyone is aiming for. Google is not exempt. Business is business all the time.

[studmoose]

11:55 AM on 01/21/2011

I'm sure there might be some bias to help them generate their ad revenues.

[snarky custom]

11:14 AM on 01/21/2011

Your article states that Google is already dominant in email. What is this based on? According to comScore (August 2010) Windows Live Hotmail is the world's largest web-based email service with nearly 364 million users. Second and third are Yahoo! Mail (280 million) and Gmail (191 million).