How long before Google’s suggestions actually cause measurable harm to a person or company?
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We’ve already seen the tendency for Google to suggest the rather inappropriate.
So what would happen if someone who owned a enough boxes sent out enough Google queries on seemingly legitimate accounts? Could this type of activity damage a competitor’s brand?
Could it go far enough toward ruining someone’s life that Google would be held responsible in court?
Google suggest is a useful feature and perhaps we’re still just in the beta format (isn’t everything there considered beta for years?).
Regardless of what they do with this tool, they’re gonna take some heat. If they suggest sponsors – well if they do that, I’d love to sign up! But I’m sure people will bitch and moan about it.
If they clearly augment the suggestions by human review, then it’s going to be increasingly difficult for them to retain the image of being agnostic about the results. Google won’t be able to hide behind “oh, well that’s just what the big machine behind the curtain spits out”.
This type of suggestion is very powerful. The potential for abuse (whatever that means) is enormous. This is Orwell’s Ministry of Truth incarnate: only stronger. That 1984 vision only had the power to change the answer.
Google takes that one step further: they have the power to change the very question.
I, for one, am certainly happy that this power rests in the hands of a company that “don’t be evil.”
Aren’t you?.