A while back one of our sponsors World Consulting Group started an entry discussing the Ethics of SERP .

The following entry is the Continuation:

As previously stated the first significant issue to be considered is the role of search engine. The three most known first tier players Google, Yahoo and MSN are the main search engine or portals used world wide. Each is known and used by different target users whereby most users probably use more than one at the time. However all of the major three players are in terms of traditional business rather young. The longest existing player MSN a division of Microsoft;  which has been conducting business for around 30 years. But even in MSN case, the World Wide Web ventures are all around a decade old.

Considering the evolution of informational technology which has virtually impacted all walks of personal and business lives, it is rather obvious that the major players carry a great deal of social responsibility. However, considering the recent government and search engine co-operation to acquire user data illustrates one of the rather unique challenges.

But first one has to consider core competencies of each of the service providers. Google is widely known to be the front runner in terms of end users and advertising revenues. Yahoo is better known for its portal functions which basically allow for a “one stop shop” approach by combining a wide range of available topics. MSN on the other hand, is in for front of providing a portal similar to Yahoo but targeting high end users with above average income.

In spite of such categorization, all three are private companies that dictated their own internal policy. Usually that would be in sync with a capitalist and free market society. However, since the essence of all major three companies is around information collection, categorization and distribution, it is hard to argue that private entities or market driven economy should be in charge. Historically, the same thought and philosophy under which particular industries become greatly scrutinized and regulated has been applied to other industries such as transportation. Hence it is not out of place to suggest that such private entities should not be self regulating or not attract governmental oversight. Yet until now, only a few isolated instances such as Google attempting to purchase Click Track has attracted any governmental scrutiny.

It is hard to imagine that private entities which provide and distribute information that influences virtually all aspects of our daily lives; have been left to their own rules and regulations. It is unthinkable that similar approach would be taken in industries such as farming, port transportation or airlines. Some of these industries are tightly controlled and regulated as well as received huge amount of subsidies financed by tax payers’ money in the name of national interest or national security. Though such industries are vital, in the age of information and internet, search engines are at least as important.

Hence it is important to keep in mind that such private, uncontrolled, and hardly regulated industries illustrate a vital interest in national security as well as having a rather significant positive impact on individuals’ life.

The second important point of consideration should be viability and consistency of Search Engine Results Pages or SERP. Clearly SERP should get the most scrutiny due to its impact. It is SERP which will show the results of search queries, advertising, and any other relevant or irrelevant issues. SERP is basically the ultimate search engine results illustrating company preferences and core capabilities.

One could easily get too involved in examining technical issues, advance mathematical algorithms, object and result rankings and another dozen technical specification to determine how and what is ranked and why. But in terms of overall picture, it is rather irrelevant why and how a search engine determines to out put particular results. The most significant factor is that it is their decision as to what and when to index, why, when and how to show the results or chose to not output particular results.

Proponent of free market may argue that the market is self correcting and abuses will result in end users outcry, abandonment of particular services that may at the end lead to self correction by means of replacement with alternatives or corrections on behalf of the offenders. Though it maybe true that eventually the market will correct it selves, this particular case can not and should not be based on eventualities. In today’s information driven society, time is of essence. A fair portion of available information including news, public statements, as well as industry specific releases require prompt attention. Yet given the fact that search engines are free to chose their own formula and time table, one could argue that disclosure and distribution of such vital information should not be left to private entities without a great deal of regulations.

Proponents may argue that online news agencies do not face such regulation nor do print or audio counter parts. However, as long time established businesses most traditional news media are subject to information delay in the first place, hence eliminating a comparison. Second, similar organizations are individual business or compilation of some regional / interest based selections. Search engines, however, are aggregators. They do not generate any form of information rather than outputting a collection of that information. Hence farther nullifying comparisons.

Similarly one could argue that SERP is a product just like any other business or personal product which is used by those that trust its brand or producers. Yet that is equally flawed. Search Engines have created an competitive environment which has resulted in establishment of artificial industries such as Search Engine Optimization which in turn has established a grate deal of sub divisions including directories, article directories, writing services, and dozen more. No other industry has ever created so many artificial sub divisions. Other industries have managed to create sub industrial divisions in order to find specialized vendors for their needs. Yet search engines have actively encourages and help create and industry that is no help to them nor does it serve the end users. Further search engines do not provide specifics about how ranking occur rather than vaguely pointing to obscure issues that may or may not be of any help to stakeholders.

As mentioned previously it is to get caught up in technical aspects of SEO or SERP. The main issue should remain about transparency as well as public availability. 

The third important issue to consider is the availability. In today’s global information age and globalize social and economic setting search engines just like any other major business in abide or adhere to political and economic pressure of domestic and foreign government. However as in previous instance those rules should not and can not be applied to search engines. Considering the core competency of information collection and distribution, search engines are our generations’ libraries. However, unlike libraries which may chose to carry books or publications or to avoid particular titles, search engine do not have the same luxury. Their social obligation of fair, unbiased and equal distribution of information dictates that search engines enable everyone to find the information they seek without unnecessary burden of artificial rules.

In the same realm of argument one has to examine the lack of multi lingual approach. Obviously search engines have created portal for other countries in their respective languages, yet an overview of those languages shows a lack of effort in those areas that would have the greatest need for widely and freely available information. Among those, none of the major search engines have major portals for Farsi or Urdu. One might argue that past and current economic and political sanctions have hindered such efforts, but that would only partially be true. It is rather obvious that business decisions pertaining the ROI of such investment is and was in the hart of such decision. Providing search engine portals for established markets promises advertising and marketing revenue. The same can not be said of developing nations nor emerging markets. But all of the search engines have managed to establish Chinese portals and have freely and widely complied with not so democratic governmental information requests; because of potential revenues.

Nevertheless one should not forget that search engines are and will always be for profit organizations. The mere cost in IT tools and staff will dictate a for profit approach. However, because of their particular nature, profit sharing should be only secondary to their core competency of fair, equal and unbiased information distribution.  

Ultimately the nature of information age and global information exchange dictates that those dominating those markets for whatever reason have a responsibility to all end users. They are obliged to at least attempt to enable the equal availability of information to those who need it most. Those deprived or prohibited of unbiased information. Those who could use free unbiased information to improve their lives and living standards. Yet even that attempt has to be undertaken with additional considerations. The for profit nature of search engines dictates that their bottom line will have to be attractive in order to finance farther innovations. Hence, leading us to the conclusion that public support for those organizations may have to include financial incentives in forms of subsidies, grants or tax benefits.

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