Political Ramifications of Search

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Thinking about the broad implications of search, we've asked: 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? 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?

In this class period, we will try to summarize where we've been so far in the seminar and overview search's political implications and the questions raised by search technology. We will then highlight a few policy debates that nestle within these political concerns, framing it in social science terms. The class will mostly be a discussion about policy implications.

Before class, please read these articles (very short). Come up with a list of questions to go along with the policy implications raised:

Optional Material: