搜索引擎和公众使用的原因【外文翻译】

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1、外文翻译SearchenginesandthepublicuseofreasonMaterialSource:EthicsandInformationTechnology,2008(9)Author:DagElgesemSearchengineshavebecomethecentralentrypointsforaccesstoinformationontheweb.Googleandtheothercommercialsearchenginesarethusincreasinglypowerfulplayersinthenewinformationec

2、ology.Myfocushereisonthepowerofsearchenginesinrelationtotheirusers.Thereisanimbalanceinpowerbecausethecriteriathatthesearchengineusestorankitsresultsarenottransparenttotheuser.ThequestionIwanttodiscussinthispaperiswhichmoralobligation–ifany–thispowerputsonthesearchenginecompanies

3、.Itmightbesuggestedthatthesearchengineshavenomoralobligationstotheirusersatallbecausetheyareprivatecompanies,offeringaservicefreeofcharge,andthattheusercanswitchtoadifferentsearchenginewithnocost.Butthiscannotberight,Ithink.Millionsofpeopleusesearchengineseverydaytosearchforinfor

4、mation.Considerthequestionofpaidhitsinsearchengines.Googleandmostothersearchenginesmaintainaclearseparationbetweensocalledorganicresultsandpaidhits,i.e.ads.OntheGoogleresultpage,forexample,theorganichitsarelistedinthemiddleofthepageandthepaidhitsinacolumnontherightside.Sometimest

5、hereareadsalsoonthetopofthepage.Thisisahelpfulwaytodivideuptheresultsfromtheuser’sperspective.ButIdon’tthinkGoogleortheothersearchenginecompaniesaremorallyrequiredtoseparatetheirresultsinthisway.Inthelate1990stherethecompanyGoTolaunchedasearchenginebasedcompletelyononlypaidhits:t

6、hebestranksontheresultpagewereawardedtothehighestbidinanauction.GoTofailedtoattractmanyusersandmustbeconsideredafailureasasearchservice.Thisisnotsurprisingbecauseasearchenginebasedonpaidhitscannotbetrustedtoreturntheresultsthatarethemostrelevanttotheuser’squery.However,Icannotsee

7、thatthereisanythingmorallywrongwithGoTo’sstrategyaslongastheuserswereinformedaboutthebasisfortheranking.Itwasagreatmodelforsellingadsontheweb,however,andGoTowasthuslateracquiredbyGooglewhonowusestheirauctionmodeltoselltheadsthatappearontherighthandsideofGoogle’sfirstpageofresults

8、.ButatthesametimeGooglelearnedfromthefai