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google's new filtering system seems a little out of whack.....

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/01/what-does-googles-subtle-censorship-say-about-us/70443/

should google filter more info than they do? how does a search engine company try and prevent things like finding a way to build a bomb in your home? SHOULD search engine companies feel some sort of responsibility for something like that? i thought it raised some interesting questions.

Does anyone use the autocomplete function for anything but killing time when you're bored?

I guess so but people could just learn how to create dangerous things from films and books. One piece of fiction I read detailed exactly how they created opium/heroin from a poppy field, many more describe good attention to detail when a character murders another, or builds a bomb. You can find dangerous information anywhere really.

Originally posted by Lord Shadow Z
I guess so but people could just learn how to create dangerous things from films and books. One piece of fiction I read detailed exactly how they created opium/heroin from a poppy field, many more describe good attention to detail when a character murders another, or builds a bomb. You can find dangerous information anywhere really.

i realize the info can come from other places. i guess i just wondered about the companies themselves and how responsible they should be held for allowing such easy access to this type of info. not sure there even is a way to filter it completely, but it seems to me they could perhaps do better than what they are doing currently. you'd think it would be a CYA type thing for them.

Originally posted by leonidas
i realize the info can come from other places. i guess i just wondered about the companies themselves and how responsible they should be held for allowing such easy access to this type of info. not sure there even is a way to filter it completely, but it seems to me they could perhaps do better than what they are doing currently. you'd think it would be a CYA type thing for them.

But what is the point of filtering it completely?

Well, I understand why google filters out torrent and not how to buy drugs/ murder people. It's because google taking you to torrent directly connects google to the crime. A site where you can directly commit an illegal activity is more suspicious than a site that teaches you how you can commit an illegal activity.

Originally posted by Grate the Vraya
Well, I understand why google filters out torrent and not how to buy drugs/ murder people. It's because google taking you to torrent directly connects google to the crime. A site where you can directly commit an illegal activity is more suspicious than a site that teaches you how you can commit an illegal activity.

exactly. seems the search engine companies could do a better job than they do of responsibly filtering material. i mean porn is another issue. it's too easy for underagers to find porn. just seems there should be something they can do to make it a little more difficult. i get they won't be able to get it all, but make an effort maybe? shrug

Originally posted by leonidas
exactly. seems the search engine companies could do a better job than they do of responsibly filtering material. i mean porn is another issue. it's too easy for underagers to find porn. just seems there should be something they can do to make it a little more difficult. i get they won't be able to get it all, but make an effort maybe? shrug I honestly don't understand why it's illegal for underagers to watch porn anyways. It's a victimless crime as long as they stick to the free stuff.

No, google should not censor any information whatsoever.

Originally posted by King Kandy
No, google should not censor any information whatsoever.

I agree and this is the stance that Google WISHES it could take. They want to be completely net-neutral but whiners and complainers force them to have to invest in dynamic filtering. They would love to let an algorithm take care of the auto-suggest/complete stuff. THat would cos a lot less to maintain then to meticulously eliminate explicit items.

Apeeasing the right costs lots of money.


Anyway, I don't worry too much about it because it never affects me.