Reflections From a Murky Pond

Google modifies, tweaks, and just plain changes its search algorithm on a regular basis, most often to disrupt the effectiveness of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts. Now, however, a Google research team is trying to change  the algorithm, to measure the “trustworthiness” of a page, rather than its reputation across the web.

The system – which is has not yet gone live – counts the number of “incorrect” facts within a page to determine its ranking in search results instead of its reputation or popularity, as measured by incoming links, across the web.

Google – The Internet’s Gatekeeper

This, of course, begs the questions of whose facts? Whose truths? Who will decide what is innacurate and, hence, to be downlisted and effectively censored by Google?

Google’s answers are that facts that the web unanimously agrees upon are considered to be a reasonable proxy for truth. Web pages that dissent from this consensus by containing contradictory information are to be bumped down the rankings, effectively censoring them by removing them from the bulk of the web’s users.

So, insofar as the internet’s greatest gatekeeper, Google is concerned, consensus reality will be the only reality. And, of course, Google will be the arbiter of that consensus.

I guess, if Google’s plan is allowed to be implemented, nobody will read where you wrote, “And yet it moves.“

Tags: Bias | Censorship | Conformity | Consensus | Consensus Reality | Dissent | Facts | Google | Innovation | Internet | Lies | Myths | Observer Bias | Politics | Science | Social Engineering | Stagnation | Technology | Truth

This entry was posted on Monday, March 9th, 2015 at 8:52 am and is filed under Politics, Society, Technology. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

America’s domestic enemies, in their cult-like devotion to big government, often harp on the supposed benefits of government innovation. To be fair, there once was a solid basis for this belief. The government used to provide a great service in aiding new technologies, products, and services reach the People and makes their lives better or easier.

That was a long time ago, for the most part, though. The steady, entropic march of “Progress” has degenerated government innovation in the same manner that it has degenerated all functions of the government.

Progress: Government Innovation

Really! Think about it. The last real innovation of merit by the government was the basic foundational underpinnings of the Internet. Even then, all they developed was the means to create a wide area network. The Internet, as we know it, grew out of the efforts of the private sector.

All the government innovates in these sad, modern times is new and creative ways to funnel Americans’ tax-dollars into the bank accounts of the politicians’ cronies and donors.

I would say that this is sad, but it isn’t really sad at all. It’s an indication that America needs little in the way of innovation in order to secure its borders, its people, and its interests.

This is because the vast majority of real government innovations are funded, researched, and developed by our Defense needs. Even the Internet was a DARPA project originally and even the heyday of NASA was a paroxysm of nationalism and fears of losing space to the Soviets.

Tags: America | Government | Innovation | Politics | Science | Technology

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at 10:38 am and is filed under Politics, Technology. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

American genius is nigh on axiomatic across the globe – or, at least, it was. It doesn’t seem to be anymore and I’m not sure when, where, how, or why we lost our inventive genius.

Inventive Genius – A Lost American Art form

C’mon! This shouldn’t be a “motivational poster.” It should be de rigueur in America. Our nation was built upon our seeing a need – or creating one – and building some widget to fulfill it.

Tags: America | Economics | Economy | Employment | Free Market | Humor | Innovation | Invention | Jobs | Science | Technology

This entry was posted on Monday, April 23rd, 2012 at 8:25 am and is filed under Humor, Society, Technology. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.