Google Annoys Some in the UK
April 30, 2011
The BBC reported that Google’s defense of a new algorithm in its search system has relegated some very popular Web sites to the bottom of the pile in search returns. In “Google Denies Panda Hit on Rival,” Google is calling allegations that it rigged results “almost absurd.” Funny that they didn’t deem the allegations “outright absurd”.
Google claims it is only trying to weed out websites known as content farms, Web sites that copy content from other sites to gain prominence. When Panda was introduced in mid-April, it was supposed to reduce the rankings of low-quality websites. Ciao.co.uk is a shopping site owned by Microsoft and was one of the hardest hit by the new algorithm, and while it is not unusual for shopping sites to drop in ranking because of the repeating reviews and comments, the 94 percent drop experienced by Ciao was undeniably harsh.
I’d have to agree that it’s not outrageous to think that Google was perhaps trying to dole out a little payback after Ciao filed suit and initiated and investigation against the conglomerate in late 2010. Though it would certainly be hard to rig the results because of the mass number of sites and searches, it’s probably not impossible considering that algorithms to make a computer learn from past mistakes is already in the works. Though why some of these companies are complaining I can’t figure out because their business didn’t see an immediate impact, the search words eliminated weren’t being clicked anyway.
Leslie Radcliff, April 30, 2011
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