IT@Pitt

Google edit

My name is Julie and I am addicted to googling random, rather unimportant, but vaguely interesting things! There I have admitted it and it is now out in the open. Recently I have come to embrace by Google addiction and have even began to talk to my friends and classmates about it. During Dr. Shulman's class this past week I was informed that Google searches were the end all and be all of internet searches. My classmates informed me that Google edits all internet searches of materials that it thinks may be seen as inappropriate or offensive to members of society. Google automatically has your search at moderate filter when you first long on if no other preference has been given. I was encouraged me to do a Google internet image search on Michelangelo's painting, a rather "safe topic" by most accounts, as I normally would and see what images the computer generates. Then once I observed what images were presented through a "normal" search I was told to go up preferences and change my Google
Safesearch preference to strict filtering or no filtering. I switched my preference first to strict filter and was reasonably surprised at how many images were cut from my search. I then changed my preference to no filtering and was shocked at how many new images I received in my third search that had been restricted in my first two searches. I personally was not offended in any way by these newly generated additions to my search. In fact, I was rather upset that they were not included in my initial search. However, I understand why Google decided to edit the content because it may be explicit for some viewers and am glad that they allow you to easily change your preferences. I just wish that I had known earlier the my searches were already being edited.
I also benefited immensely by Tom's part of the presentation where he discussed the importance of word/phrase selection when you are searching for something in particular on Google. As mentioned about I do use random "googling" to pass the time from time to time, but I also use it for many information searches for article for papers and blogs. It is a very big part of researching both at school and at work. Therefore, I found Tom's helpful hints for word selection very helpful and will keep them in mind when I am topic searching in the future. I also will keep in mind the alternative search sites that were mentioned during the presentation. I definitely will use the knowledge that I obtain in this lab in the future in both my academic and business life.

posted by julie @ 7:28 PM