Political Ramifications of Search

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Note: the readings and content are going to be changed for tuesday's class...more to follow later.


How do search algorithms work for or against social stratification? How does it affect our approach to cultural content? What are the implications of mechanical evaluations of quality?

Search engines enable users to parse the overload of information available online. But there is a trend for search companies to track personal search histories as well in order to provide customized content. Private companies now hold vast databases of information about the behavior of large portions of populations. What are some possible results of customization enabled by detailed, personal information about individual behavior? How far can it go? Will it help create cross-cutting communities as people find each other with similar interests, or will it serve to isolate people as they are served information that continually reinforces social boundaries that have already been constructed? Is the use of link structure to evaluate quality a democratizing force? Or does it reinforce the status quo? Are phenomena like Google Bombing quirks or do they open up new avenues of serious political commentary?

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