Much Ado about Google

An article by Navarrow    View Comments

As I’ve said for some time now that once we go down the path of relying on the government to regulate the Internet, the pattern of regulation would extend far beyond any restrictions that are being proposed for Internet providers.  Here are a couple articles about “search neutrality” that describe potential restrictions that need to be placed on Google.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/opinion/28raff.html?_r=1 .   In this article from the New York Times, the writer makes the case that Google ignores search algorithms to promote its own products. My first thought was that Google is a business and it was never said anywhere that a business can’t promote its own products. But what was even more interesting about this article was that the person writing this post was the founder of a company that has created its own search technology and feels Google has stifled their success. He actually says, “Google’s treatment of Foundem stifled our growth and constrained the development of our innovative search technology.”  This is just one example of the ways that people can start seeking additional government regulation of the Internet just to protect their own interests. For each person like this who blames large companies for their lack of success there are thousands like myself who credit access to broadband and the tools on the Internet as the keys to our success. But it’s only through the current competition and openness of the Internet that has made my success, and the achievements of others, possible.

The next story I came across was a blog post that basically accused the author above of  “More Whining About Google.”   While he makes a good case, I find it funny that this author does not see the parallels between the whining about Google and the whining about Internet providers that is done by some Net Neutrality advocates.  We have more choices to broadband access now than ever and those companies compete for our business by innovating just like Google does. I say let’s stop the whining altogether and focus on making sure everyone has access to the Internet and the tools that companies like Google provide.