The AlgorithmStross, R. (2008). ‘The Algorithm’. In Planet Google: how

one company is transforming our lives (pp. 63-88). London: Atlantic Books.

ARIN6192 Digital Research & Publishing - week 3 presentation by John Band

Part 1: About The Algorithm Definitions of algorithm & the problem that needs solving Google’s use of algorithms and the impact it has had Algorithms define Google’s corporate philosophy The Algorithm versus Google, Inc

Part 2: The Algorithm & The World Google’s impact on the way we research Google’s expansion into new areas of life Google’s effect on the way we live – practically and

philosophically Questions for discussion

Introduction

1. About The Algorithm

“A precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem” – Princeton WordNet, 2011

“A funny word that most people do not hear every day, if at all” – Alex Bogusky, Crispin, Porter & Border, 2007

Definitions of algorithm

The vast quantity of digital information available is impossible to organise and evaluate “The availability of so much information and the increasing

speed with which information is sent to users, generates the problem of information overload” – Flew (2008)

Even large-scale attempts to manually categorise online resources were impossible many years ago “The web grows faster than we do, and we couldn't possible

scale personnel to match the rate in which new web sites that are coming along. With unlimited resources, I wouldn't even do that” – Srinija Srinivasan, Yahoo Director of Surfing, 1997

The problem that needs solving

The initial algorithm that Google’s success was built on is PageRank

“PageRank reflects our view of the importance of web pages by considering more than 500 million variables and 2 billion terms.

“Pages that we believe are important pages receive a higher PageRank and are more likely to appear at the top of the search results.

“PageRank also considers the importance of each page that casts a vote, as votes from some pages are considered to have greater value, thus giving the linked page greater value.” – Google Technology

Google’s use of algorithms…

It worked:

…and the impact it has had

Most famous Google corporate philosophy quote is “Don’t Be Evil”

…but most accurate is “software formulas are the best means to solve any given problem” (paraphrase from Stross, 2008)

For example:

Algorithms define Google’s corporate philosophy

Google also uses algorithms internally to maximise profits “An algorithm… gave the most prominent [advert] positions not to the highest

bidder, but to the sponsors that statistically has the most likely chance of producing the most revenue to Google” – Stross (2008)

However, its current behaviour prioritises increasing the quantity of digital information and devising new algorithms over short-term profits “Every new service is seen by Google as an advance for humankind” – Stross

(2008)

If this were to change, the consequences for information availability could be significant and negative “[We are investigating] complaints by search service providers about

unfavourable treatment of their services in Google's unpaid and sponsored search results coupled with an alleged preferential placement of Google's own services” – European Commission, 2010

The Algorithm versus Google, Inc

2. The Algorithm & The World

Source: Down The Avenue, 2010

Google Search and Google Books not only save time, but change what’s possible “Research that once required days in the stacks or periodical rooms of libraries

can now be done in minutes” – Carr (2008)

Some commentators believe that this has had a negative impact on research strategies “There is absolutely no question that our brains are engaged less directly and

more shallowly in the synthesis of information, when we use research strategies that are all about efficiency, secondary and out-of-context referencing, and once over, lightly” – Merzenich (2008)

Others disagree that there has been a major or relevant change for the worse “It would be hard to argue that the last ten years have seen a decrease in …

comprehension of material on scientific or technical subjects” – Shirky (2008)

Google’s impact on the way we research

Google is continuing to digitise information and invent new algorithms

Some commentators are sceptical that The Algorithm will continue to apply to new forms of information “Even assuming that it can all eventually be digitized, not all

digital information can be organized and profited from in the same way Google has so effectively organized and profited from Web pages” – Dibbell (2009)

“Infinite information is, very obviously, not the same as infinite wisdom” – Anderson (2008)

Google’s expansion into new areas of life

The combination of social media and accurate search has has a dramatic effect on privacy “Schmidt predicts, apparently seriously, that every young

person one day will be entitled automatically to change his or her name on reaching adulthood in order to disown youthful hijinks stored on their friends' social media sites” – Jenkins (2010)

Google’s future plans would involve an even more significant shift in behaviour “I actually think most people don't want Google to answer their

questions. They want Google to tell them what they should be doing next” - Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, 2010

What is Google’s effect on the way we live – practically?

Beyond changing the way research is done, Google may have changed the way people think “As we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding

of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence” – Carr (2008)

On some levels, Google’s dominance means that a profit-making company controls access to information “Google, in other words, would very much like to digitize your

soul” – Anderson (2008) “Stross glosses over the risks that come with such power,

focusing on the sheer speed and strength of Google innovation” – Fish (2011)

What is Google’s effect on the way we live – philosophically?

How would we use the web and do research if Google had never existed? Would there be any significant difference from today?

To what extent does Google’s status as a private company affect its impact on society? If Google, Inc., were to move away from The Algorithm model, would The Algorithm survive as an independent meme?

Is there scope for the free software movement to replicate Google’s use of The Algorithm?

Questions for discussion

Anderson, S. (2008). Algorithm & Blues: The wonder and terror of Google, New York Magazine, Oct 5, 2008. Available at http://nymag.com/arts/books/reviews/50994/ [accessed 17 March, 2011]

Blodgett, R (2010) Google's Gobbling: How Will it Impact Innovation? Available at http://www.downtheavenue.com/2010/02/googles-gobbling-how-will-it-impact-innovation.html [accessed 17 March, 2011]

Carr, N. (2008). Is Google making us stupid?, The Atlantic, July/August 2008. Available at http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/6868/ [accessed 17 March, 2011]

Dibbell, J. (2009). Building the Mind of God: The Limits and Dangers of Google’s Ambition to Know Everything, Ottawa Citizen, January 11, 2009. Available at http://www.juliandibbell.com/articles/planet-google-review/ [accessed 17 March, 2011]

Fish, E (2011). Review of: Stross, Randall. Planet Google. How one company is transforming our lives. London: Atlantic Books, 2008. International Journal of Communication, 5 (2011), pp. 80–81

Flew, T. (2008). New media: An introduction. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Jenkins, H. (2010) Google and the Search for the Future, Wall Street Journal, Aug 14, 2010. McLean, P (2009) Web search statistics show Bing stagnant, Google growing, Apple Insider, Nov 19, 2010. Available at http://

www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/11/19/web_search_statistics_show_bing_stagnant_google_growing.html [accessed 17 March, 2011]

Merzenich, M. (2008) Going Googly. Available at http://merzenich.positscience.com/?p=177 [accessed 17 March, 2011] Shirky, C. (2008) Why Abundance is Good: A Reply to Nick Carr. Available at

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/07/why-abundance-is-good-a-reply-to-nick-carr/ [accessed 17 March, 2011] Stross, R. (2008). The Algorithm. In Planet Google: how one company is transforming our lives (pp. 63-88). London: Atlantic

Books. Sullivan, D. (1997). Yahoo: Delays Expected, The Search Engine Report, Sept. 3, 1997. Available at http://

searchenginewatch.com/2165541 [accessed 17 March, 2011] Wilson, T.D. (2009). Review of: Stross, Randall. Planet Google. How one company is transforming our lives. London: Atlantic

Books, 2008. Information Research, 14(1), review no. R326

Bibliography