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Google fits temporary Digg implant
Friday, November 30 2007
by Billy MacInnes


Google Labs is testing a new-fangled search page where users
can "vote" on all those links that pop up after a keyword
query.

If you like a link, you hit the "like it" button. If you
don't like it, you hit the "don't like it" button. And in
Digg-like fashion, these clicks move items up or down the
list. But your votes aren't used to influence the results of
other users. Unlike Digg, this Google experiment is merely a
means of tweaking content inside your own browser. Each time
you search on the same keyword, your past votes come into
play. Any modified links are tagged with a big orange
asterisk.



"This experiment lets you influence your search experience
by adding, moving, and removing search results," Google
explains. "When you search for the same keywords again,
you'll continue to see those changes. If you later want to
revert your changes, you can undo any modifications you've
made."



The page also includes a "Know of a better webpage?" link,
where you can recommend additional links. Again, these
changes will pop up the next time you search on the same
keyword. Naturally, you'll need a Google account, and you'll
have to be logged in for all this to work.



The question is whether you'll want it to work. Is all this
even remotely valuable? A keyword search is all about finding
sites you haven't found in the past. If you stumble onto a
site that's valuable, you bookmark it. Who cares if it pops
to the top when you do the same search a second time?



Of course, this experiment could be extended. Google could in
fact use your votes to influence search results across the
web. But unless you believe in all that Web 2.0 nonsense,
this sort of user-generated results page makes even less
sense.



Word of this experiment has popped up here, but it's not open
to the web at large. According to a Google spokeswoman, only
a "small percentage of people" were invited to
participate. But even for these folks, it will be available
for "a few weeks" only.



The Register
and its contents are copyright 2007 Situation Publishing.
Reprinted with permission.