Googlopoly: Will The FTC Allow Google+ to Dominate Google Search?
Google Search is under-going some major change, I’m talking about a full-on integration of Google+ into Google Search.
They call it “Search Plus Your World” and it incorporates your Google+ photos, contacts and public pages into search results.
But so far, it looks like Google is deviating from the the simplicity and relevance that out-shined earlier search engines (remember: Ask Jeeves, AOL Search, and HotBot). Not to mention, Google+ is boxing-out Twitter and Facebook results (which are arguably more relevant).
A little while back I posted about Google+ brand pages appearing on the top of Google search results.
Since then Google has amped up the presence of Google+ within Google Search. In fact, this new version of Google Search has been coined by Mashable as the “Social Media Juggernaut”.
Maybe you have already noticed. If you are signed-in to Google+ and find yourself in a Search, you will notice the social integration:
“Search Plus Your World”
- Personal results are available in search: image results will dip into the Google+ albums of you and your circles.
- Profiles are available in search: when searching a name, Google will auto-complete the name based on your circles.
- People and Pages are available in search: depending on what you search, related people and pages that have been made public on Google+ will accompany your search results.
Your entire social graph (Google+) is now integrated into search results.
FYI “Search Plus Your World” can be toggled on/off:
But what about all of your connections on Twitter and/or Facebook? Not only your connections but that data from other networks, Twitter has, after all, proven to be the most valuable source of real-time information.
Twitter blasted Google last week, claiming that “news breaks first on Twitter” and expressing the social network’s concern “that as a result of Google’s changes, finding this information will be much harder for everyone.”
This is exactly why the Federal Trade Commission is getting involved.
Following a complaint from Privacy Watchdog, stating that Google is using it’s search engine prominence to uplift its fledgling social network at the expense of their competitors, Facebook and Twitter.
The FTC is now adding Google+ into their ongoing investigation of Google which concerns the violation of antitrust laws in terms of giving its services extra special treatment.
But why shouldn’t Google give its services favorable treatment? Sounds to me like somebody is jealous…
Depending on the FTC’s decision we may see a Facebook Search Engine pop-up in discussion.
Comment and let us know what you think, is Google being unfair?
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I personally love this as this is what social media is all about. "Word of Mouth Advertising". So now I can see what others I'm connected to on G+ say about a topic and choose to go see what they said or not. Personally I'd rather listen to the advice of someone I trust via search rather than a crafty SEO expert who got a site ranked #1 for a keyword.
I like using Google unlike Firefox...Keep on sharing this post to us..Thanks a lot
I think they are well within their rights. Google search is their platform. It's not their fault it's the most successful. We'd probably not even be having this conversation if this were bing. They do the same thing with Facebook. Bing gives the
Special treatment so what's the difference?
If they can do better, then do better. Just quit complaining about it.
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I haven't seen any benefit to date but as Eunice said, you can always opt out.
I think it is great, and Jim Sweeney it is showing much more than that. It shows people who may have rated or shared things that you are interested in. More social proof...just like the ads on the right. And if Facebook can give the advertisers who keep their ad links inside Facebook an advantage, what is the difference? Google is just the big dog on the block that everyone wants to knock down. Well good luck because they are MOMOTH! They will not go down without a good fight...and I back them 100%. ~David Foster
I don't see the point. The only new stuff that appears in search is stuff that I already posted. Why would I want to see that again?
Love it! You can always opt out of Search + Your World. And it's the future, might as well embrace it.
I have not decide yet. But I haven't been hearing very much good about it yet. Time will tell.
How were you getting spam mail related to G+? ~Scott
I don't like it. Since Google started this crazy thing - I have been getting so many unsolicited emails/spam emails like never before! So much so - that I cancelled my Google+ account. I'll stick with facebook - it's an easier, safer place for me.
The issue I'm seeing is that Search is all about pulling the most relevant results...and that is often Twitter...and maybe sometimes facebook...and lots of times sources beyond those.
We trust our leaders to be transparent and honest and offer up the most relevant results, regardless of who they're from.
Just bc "Bing is doing it" doesn't make it a standard I want to strive for...That is precisely why I've always chosen to use Google over others...they've devoted so many years to honing their algorithm to pull the most relevant results and to now narrow them solely to build a network that is not established enough to return all searches (nor will they or any single source ever be), that is a significant disservice to searchers and search everywhere.
The internet is our Planetary Brain. It's where we share thoughts and ideas, and to allow a monopoly on search is unnervingly close to Thought Control on the tool that enables so many to learn to think.
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