Is Google too powerful?
- Thread starter elmo16
- Start date
What really disturbs me Elmo is that you somehow think that Google has this power over you to control how you think. I may have said this already in the thread, but in case not: If you're that concerned about the "google effect" then don't use them. There are plenty of other options out there for searching the internet.
I am more concerned about the way they make other people think, and my not using them won't stop that. In the same way I'm concerned about a teacher in a public school who espouses "creation science" and lets it slip into their classroom talk.
Or, more on topic, why so many guys were concerned when they found out that JAG had been shilling for a place they had an economic interest in. Maybe people feel differently than I do, but I think what makes the "facts" presented on UG more beliveable is that they are constantly being challenged when folks don't believe the poster making the claims. There are no checks and balances on Google.
Dave: as far as
let me ask you something: when there's some fact you want to challenge in the P&R or some other forum, what do you do? I think there are an awful lot of people who take a few choice words and do a Google search, look at the top 3 or for things which pop up, and especially if they all agree, they take that as the truth. Well, if that's what actually happens, then Google absolutely does influence what people think by what they present in those top results which people look at.
And BTW, have you ever seen the click-thru statistics on placement vs click-thru rate? Which sites get in the top 3 extremely influence what even gets looked at. So, as more and more people take their main source of information as the internet, the way a search engine which handles 50 TO 80 PERCENT OF ALL SEARCHES has a huge impact on what people believe the truth is.
Or, more on topic, why so many guys were concerned when they found out that JAG had been shilling for a place they had an economic interest in. Maybe people feel differently than I do, but I think what makes the "facts" presented on UG more beliveable is that they are constantly being challenged when folks don't believe the poster making the claims. There are no checks and balances on Google.
Dave: as far as
let me ask you something: when there's some fact you want to challenge in the P&R or some other forum, what do you do? I think there are an awful lot of people who take a few choice words and do a Google search, look at the top 3 or for things which pop up, and especially if they all agree, they take that as the truth. Well, if that's what actually happens, then Google absolutely does influence what people think by what they present in those top results which people look at.
And BTW, have you ever seen the click-thru statistics on placement vs click-thru rate? Which sites get in the top 3 extremely influence what even gets looked at. So, as more and more people take their main source of information as the internet, the way a search engine which handles 50 TO 80 PERCENT OF ALL SEARCHES has a huge impact on what people believe the truth is.
Have you heard the latest? If you spell a few words wrong in a Google ***** (GMAIL?), Google will assume that you are drunk, and will force you to do some arithmetic within a short period of time. If you can’t do that right, Google will not let you send the ***** while intoxicated (emwi?). Aren’t we glad we have Google looking out for us?