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Hard-Coded Bias In Google Search Results?
bonch writes "Technology consultant Benjamin Edelman has developed a methodology for determining the existence of a hard-coded bias in Google's search engine which places Google's services at the top of the results page. Searching for a stock ticker places Google Finance at the top along with a price chart, but adding a comma to the end of the query removes the Google link completely. Other variations, such as 'a sore throat' instead of 'sore throat,' removes Google Health from its top position. Queries in other categories provide links to not only Google services but also their preferred partners. Though Google claims it does not bias its results, Edelman cites a 2007 admission from Google's Marissa Mayers that they placed Google Finance at the top of the results page, calling it 'only fair' because they made the search engine. Edelman notes that Google cites its use of unbiased algorithms to dismiss antitrust scrutiny, and he recalls the DOJ's intervention in airlines providing favorable results for their own flights in customer reservation systems they owned."
because god forbid you get high traffic without google. *rolls eyes*
:P
Seriously: you completely omitted the "if I make awesome website A, and advertise it on google."
you're claiming that your website is awesome: but people are not going TO your site, people are going to your site because it was linked somewhere else. how is that unfair? you're using their name to get free advertising for your domain name essentially, and you wonder why somebody would take your "trade secret" and use it themselves?
sorry: I don't see how a site that's "the most popular" of anything can't get direct traffic.
Google seems to get a hell of a lot of direct traffic.