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."

Comments

Re:What?

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

> what if I just wanted to read some reviews?

In addition to the show times appearing as part of the first result are the words blahblablah

Forest for the trees dude.

So far, none of the 3 responses, yours included, have been able to explain why google's own services are always the most relevant.

And the answer is they are not, google is putting them at the top of the list because they are google's own products.

Re:What?

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

Dude, what part of "forest for the trees" do you fail to understand?

Let me spell it out for you - you keep arguing that a specific case proves the general point, it does not.
The general point is that when google puts their own services in the results list, they always put them first.
That is textbook bias.