Title

Sustaining the Public Good Vision of the Internet: The Politics of Search Engines

Author(s)

Lucas Introna Lucas Introna (London School of Economics)

Helen Nissenbaum Helen Nissenbaum (Princeton University)

Abstract

This paper argues that search engines raise not merely technical issues but also political ones. Search engines systematically exclude (in some cases by design and in some accidentally) certain sites in favor of others, or alternatively give prominence to some at the expense of others. Such biases run counter to the basic architecture of the Web as well as the values and ideals that have fuelled widespread support for its growth and development. The paper considers ways of addressing the politics of search engines, raising doubts whether, in particular, the market mechanism can serve as an acceptable corrective.

Creation Date

1999-10

Section URL ID

CACPS

Paper Number

9

URL

https://culturalpolicy.princeton.edu/sites/culturalpolicy/files/wp09_introna_nissenbaum.pdf

File Function

Jel

Z11, L86

Keyword(s)

Suppress

false

Series

6