Algorithms based on PageRank may not be all good
http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/322yoEI1hPIAkFJeFPlRPN/Algorithmic-oversight.html
It is well known that most of search engines and social media websites online utilize some kind of algorithms to customize search results for the users. For example, it is well known that Facebook uses EdgeRank and Google used PageRank, although Google recently shut down its toolbar PageRank to the general public in April of this year for privacy and security reasons. Development of such algorithms based on concepts of networks within the society allowed the impossible to be possible. We nowadays get suggestions and recommendations of products, services, and friends through these online medium based on our demographics, age, and online behaviors.
But is it always good to have customized search results based on these set algorithms? The article argues against. While it is convenient when the search engines do the rankings for the users and automatically provides customized output, it is, at the same time, restricting the amount of information users can be exposed to. Thinking from the company perspective, such as Google, the algorithms based on PageRank makes it easier for them to decide which advertisements, which is their revenue stream. Also, it has been established that internet advertising works best when narrowcast, the more accurately companies can target their advertisements, the greater their revenues. So the algorithms are in fact to customized for these search engines, not actually for the users.
I thought this article was relevant to the concepts covered in class because the hubs and authority model as well as the PageRank concept recently covered in class are directly related to the search engines discussed in the article. PageRank, as covered in class, was used by Google to determine the overall authority of a website on a scale of 1-10. It was also used to weight the value of inbound links. While exposing this methodology to the public is no longer possible, the company still uses this method to determine how to rank contents in search results. In terms of the content of the article, while it is fascinating that different algorithms can be applied to utilize these ranking concepts, I think there needs to be some scrutiny into the system. I think the points brought up by the article that such customized search system is making people more narrow-minded is a completely fair point. Thus I agree that it is necessary to ensure that information provided is in a more balanced and comprehensive manner that doesn’t solely rely on a set algorithm.