Back in the 20th century--the primordial age of algorithms--life was simpler and harder at the same time. We never knew what else we might want to buy at Amazon; we didn't know what the most "important" news stories of the day were; and before the Netflix movie recommendation engine, we had no mechanized assistance in determining which DVD to rent next.
When we're looking for something online, Google's algorithm frees us from having to sort and search through multitudes of only not-very-relevant results. On the other hand, algorithms might trap us in a world where advertisers and government agencies couple behavioral data with computer formulas to predict and manipulate what we do or buy next.
The technological trend toward ever-more-sophisticated algorithms isn't limited to situations where consumers seek information or products. Private companies and government agencies are also harnessing the power of algorithms to boost their efficiency in dealing with inventory control and their effectiveness in monitoring behavior and predicting what a cybercriminal's next move might be.
For algorithm nerds, the Internet is a Candyland of data to model and predict behavior with. Tracking IP addresses across the Net, knowing what websites people visit and when they visit them, counting banner ad clicks, and harvesting data from social networks--all are much easier than following someone around with a clipboard all day.
Here is a look at some of the algorithms that rule the Web--and those who use them.
Google Search
Soon we might start using the verb google instead of think: "Let me google it over before I make up my mind." New research suggests that Google's algorithm could be changing the way we think. Columbia University researcher Betsy Sparrow says that search engines like Google are altering human thought patterns, causing people to remember less on their own and to rely instead on their ability to find the answer on the Internet.
The News Algorithm
Google constantly updates its news algorithm and uses it to power such popular services as Google News. If you're curious about what the day's top story is, you don't have to consult the editors at the New York Times; instead you can see what Google's algorithm considers the top story of the hour at Google News or Yahoo News.
Barnett sums up his views in a Nieman Journalism Lab article: "When we don't know what we want, sometimes what we really need is to figure it out for ourselves."
The Social Algorithm
Facebook's social algorithm can help you find old high-school friend and past coworkers, of course. But it does more than find friends and determine whose Facebook updates appear in your Facebook Top News Feed. The algorithm is called EdgeRank, shown below in an image from the TechCrunch website. EdgeRank uses a combination of such factors as your affinity with someone, the type of message (Like, Comment, or Tag), and when the post was made.
Algorithm Booms and Busts for Business
Recently the New York Times exposed JC Penney's efforts to inflate its Google page rank by creating thousands of third-party links and sites dedicated to boosting the company's visibility in Google search results. JC Penney denied any direct knowledge of the shenanigans, but Google penalized it by reducing the company's prominence within its search results.
Smaller businesses may succeed or fail depending on the whims of Google's search algorithm. In 2006, California-based KinderStart.com sued Google in federal court, claiming that it sustained significant financial harm when Google changed its algorithm and subsequently ranked the site low in its search results. Ultimately, KinderStart.com lost its court battle, as have other companies that have filed similar suits against Google.
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