Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
I think Google understands the issue and works around it by having
cores search results be neutral, and identifiably separate from paid
search results. As long as this is the case, I don't see a huge ethical
quandary.

I hadn't heard about the change to product search, but here's what
they say about it: "We believe that having a commercial relationship
with merchants will encourage them to keep their product information
fresh and up to date. Higher quality data—whether it’s accurate prices,
the latest offers or product availability—should mean better shopping
results for users, which in turn should create higher quality traffic
for merchants." I'm not sure I understand what the value add is for
vendors.
  

    

jet writes:

'The CEO of Google personally requested that information about him be
 removed from google years ago, they banned a CNET reporter from doing
 interviews, etc.'

I'm not sure what the CNET reporter has to do with Google's purported
manipulation of search results, but Steven Levy documents in IN THE PLEX
that Eric Schmidt's efforts to get himself excised from Google search
failed. The Googlers wouldn't do it.
  

    
Gail, Jet, Jon, Mike - 
Sorry just catching up to this. I think this exchange demonstrates
exactly why it is important for users to push companies like Google as
hard as possible to be transparent and honest about how their services
work. They may have a motto "don't be evil" and as the Levy story about
Schmidt shows, many employees truly believe in it. But if a company
does not live in constant fear of public exposure and loss of public
trust as a consequence of lapsing, it will inevitably lapse. This is
why I believe that investigative journalism directed at Internet
companies is just as important for the public interest - and ultimately
for our political, cultural and economic freedom - as is investigative
journalism directed at government. These companies shape how we
understand and interact with our world, which means that they carry a
huge responsibility to society that goes far beyond their
responsibility to deliver profit to shareholders. It is why I argue in
the book that users need to start acting more like constituents and
less like passive "users" and take their concerns and demands directly
to companies. The most innovative companies ought to recognize that if
they welcome more give and take with their constituents and are
responsive to public interest concerns, they will build a stronger
relationship with the people whose trust and loyalty they need in order
to be a successful business in the long run.
  

    
From your fingers to board of directors' ears, everywhere.
  

    
Many thanks to Rebecca MacKinnon for taking time to share with us
about _Consent of the Networked_! This was a relatively brief Inkwell
discussion because of Rebecca's hectic discussion; hopefully she'll
rejoin us later when she has more time to talk about the state and
future of the Internet.
  

    
Thanks Jon. Sorry my schedule has been crazy. Look forward to more
discussion if and when things ever calm down.