US court says Google can order its search results the way it wants

[Himanshu Arora]

Google search results are protected under the First Amendment, and the company has the complete right to arrange them as it sees fit, according to a recent ruling by a San Francisco court.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed by S. Louis Martin, the owner of a website called CoastNews, who argued that the search giant was deliberately lowering the website's ranking in its search results, as it wanted to eliminate CoastNews as a potential competitor. In support, he cited rival search engines like Bing and Yahoo, which he claimed were were turning up the website at the top of their results.

He said that the act is in violation of antitrust law, and was seeking a jury trial as well as around $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

Responding to the lawsuit, Google filed an anti-SLAPP motion, a legal tool available when a defendant believes they have been unfairly targeted with a lawsuit that seeks to stifle their right to free speech.

Judge Ernest Goldsmith agreed with Google, and granted the request. “Defendant has met its burden of showing that the claims asserted against it arise from constitutionally protected activity”, he said.

The decision is of great importance for Google, which has been accused by companies like Yelp and TripAdvisor of promoting its own services within its search results. The company, which last month tweaked its search engine algorithms to demote piracy websites, is also facing antitrust scrutiny in Europe.

The ruling comes a few months after a US judge ruled that the Chinese search engine Baidu has the right to block pro-democracy speech from its search results.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/58866-us-court-google-can-order-search-results-way.html

 

[wastedkill]

Its like saying that microsoft cant make their browsers search engine bing lol its seriously pathetic when did we become that pathetic that we are trying to force inventors to change their products to suit specific companies?

Its like asking google to promote bing instead of their own search engine...

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Of course Google is going to move it's services to the top of it's own list, it's only natural. This chump is probably trying to float a sinking boat and he wants Google's resources to do it. He sounds like a chancer.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Microsoft and Google services are irrelevant here. Search results should always display the most relevant not the most supported by these companies. If Google or Microsoft wants to promote specifics, they can do it on the side.

 

[wiyosaya]

I cannot say that I agree with this company's lawsuit, but in my opinion, most search engine results are highly questionable these days. As I see it, they have been watered-down by results from the use of "OR" terms, and I do not think that I should have to be an expert in searching or querying to get the best possible results.

In the not-so-distant-past, typing in a few terms instantly brought up relevant search results that contained all terms, not results that contain one of several search terms entered, which, as I see it, only increases the noise returned from searches. In addition, it seems as if all searches carry a basic search engine assumption that the person doing the search always wants to buy a particular item. What we are left with now, as I see it at least, are search results splattered with random complete garbage in the hope that the user clicks on one of the results so that it generates revenue, much like searching for an item at Amazon.

As I see it, the bigger search engines splatter garbage results just because they can making it difficult to do serious research.

 

[JakeT]

This is getting pathetic. Google search will inevitably become a promotional tool for Google products, exclusively. Bing will do the same, Yahoo, etc. I think it's time Google had two different search engines, one that serves the public and one that serves their marketing department. Every time Google adjusts their search algorithms I use them just a wee bit less for my general searches. Keep up the self promotion Google, you're losing me one search at a time.

 

[Guest]

How are they irrelevant ? If someone wants to make a search engine, and at the top have ad links, or sponsored or others that they deem to... oh advertise ... at the top, then that is their call.
If you don't like that engine because they have sponsored links, then go feck yaself and find a search engine that works how you want it to.
I don't see how anyone can make Google do anything, its insane. Are you telling me I would have my search engine ripped a new one if I decided I wanted the least favorable stuff at the top?
You can't force this, it's bull

 

[Trillionsin]

I went to Google because it seemed to give me unfiltered and unbiased results... this definitely isnt the case any more. As good as it still it today, I'm trying to get the desire for an alternative.

I've been asking the question, but havent gotten any replies really.

Is there a better search engine? Is there one that treats all results evenly? Is there one that wont automatically filter results?

 

[cliffordcooley]

How are they irrelevant ? If someone wants to make a search engine, and at the top have ad links, or sponsored or others that they deem to... oh advertise ... at the top, then that is their call

That in my opinion is not in question here. And I don't have a problem with that. It is my interpretation that Google is bringing their own search promotions to the top 100 or more searches. That is not the same as their promotional box of five or so listings.

 

[wastedkill]

How are they irrelevant ? If someone wants to make a search engine, and at the top have ad links, or sponsored or others that they deem to... oh advertise ... at the top, then that is their call

That in my opinion is not in question here. And I don't have a problem with that. It is my interpretation that Google is bringing their own search promotions to the top 100 or more searches. That is not the same as their promotional box of five or so listings.

in my eyes and everyones elses they own it, they maintain it, they pay for it, they can do what ever they want with it how they please without anyone telling them how their own product should or shouldn't function.

 

[wiyosaya]

I went to Google because it seemed to give me unfiltered and unbiased results... this definitely isnt the case any more. As good as it still it today, I'm trying to get the desire for an alternative.

I've been asking the question, but havent gotten any replies really.

Is there a better search engine? Is there one that treats all results evenly? Is there one that wont automatically filter results?

I mostly use Bing because it also started out that way; I started using them after being disappointed by Google's results. The truth is, neither is all that great. Sometimes, I use both because they do give different results, and sometimes, one is better than the other. Unfortunately, I do not know of an ultimate and unbiased search engine.

 

[cliffordcooley]

And in my eyes if Google want to cater search results we shouldn't have to tell them to stay neutral. We are fighting for Net Neutrality are we not?

 

[wastedkill]

And in my eyes if Google want to cater search results we shouldn't have to tell them to stay neutral. We are fighting for Net Neutrality are we not?

Whilst im all for net neutrality if microsoft can do a first serve to their own products then why cant google? if you want to give money to google to get the traffic and potential customers that will have been lost due to the no more first serve fiasco then go ahead but if not then doesnt it make sense to tell customers your products are first?

 

[Hexic]

If Google wants to modify their search results, then it's their company and they can do so. End of story. There's no counter-argument.

If they are crossing the line in one aspect or another, they will have their shareholders and [potentially] the government to answer to. If you don't like the way they are operating, don't use them.

If enough individuals stop using a particular service, they lose money. And as per economics 101 - why do you start a business?

To make money.

 

[cliffordcooley]

If Google wants to modify their search results, then it's their company and they can do so. End of story. There's no counter-argument.

Then why are we bitching about what the ISP's serve up or block? You don't want to be controlled by ISP's but here you are standing behind Google and/or Microsoft for the very same thing. I am totally confused by our stance as a society. Do we want it or do we not?

Asking for Net Neutrality from ISP's with high-priority/banned picks on Search Engine results, is not Net Neutrality.

 

[Kibaruk]

If Google wants to modify their search results, then it's their company and they can do so. End of story. There's no counter-argument.

Then why are we bitching about what the ISP's serve up or block? You don't want to be controlled by ISP's but here you are standing behind Google and/or Microsoft for the very same thing. I am totally confused by our stance as a society. Do we want it or do we not?

Asking for Net Neutrality from ISP's with high-priority/banned picks on Search Engine results, is not Net Neutrality.

If you don't like it you simply don't have to use it, there's duckduckgo, bing, yahoo, whatnot out there, no one is forcing anyone to use that search engine.

Also, if I do a search for mail on any of the main sites, I'll get their own product, it's just a thing of logic (Actually bing gave me live mail on like the 5th result lol) but you get the logic point.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Also, if I do a search for mail on any of the main sites, I'll get their own product, it's just a thing of logic (Actually bing gave me live mail on like the 5th result lol) but you get the logic point.

It is crazy that you would use that example, when websites only cater to their own site. That is not the same thing as search engines catering unbiased results to the entire Internet. Besides I've already stated I don't care if they list promotions, as long as they do it within a promotional space.

 

[Guest]

Come on people, stop whining, if you dont like Google then go elsewhere. Its a company and they can do what the hell they want with there product, if you dont like it then its your problem, there is more than 1 search engine.
Its like trying to sue Ford dealer because they dont sell Toyota.
Wake up.

 

[Guest]

Ironic that people are complaining about this on a highly moderated forum.

 

[cliffordcooley]

You people are confused and deserve to have your ISP dictate where and what you view! After all you do have a choice of ISP, do you not?

 

[Greg S]

You people are confused and deserve to have your ISP dictate where and what you view! After all you do have a choice of ISP, do you not?

Actually not really. Most people can only pick from two or three at most. Some people only have one real option.

 

[Stash]

You people are confused and deserve to have your ISP dictate where and what you view! After all you do have a choice of ISP, do you not?

An ISP filtering the content you can access or sorting it according to the companies that give them the most benefits is different from using the google search engine.

We pay an ISP to allow us internet access. PERIOD. I have checked my contract, they do not mention in any area of the legally binding document that they reserve the right to influence what kind of data I try to access or how I try to access that data.

Google on the other hand is free to the end user... Why are you complaining?
Google is not excluding the other results, they are just ordering things to their advantage... Why are you complaining?

Go to a restaurant, look at the menu... Oh look, one has drinks in the front of the menu, another at the back... Lets call management and tell them that what they are doing is unethical, lord forbid if they put their "specials" first before all the other stuff they sell...

 

[cliffordcooley]

Why are you complaining?

You know what, you are absolutely right! I don't use Google search and never will. If you don't want my help making Google better, there is no need in me staying. See you in the next article!

 

[Kibaruk]

You know what, you are absolutely right! I don't use Google search and never will. If you don't want my help making Google better, there is no need in me staying. See you in the next article!

Wow do you actually read what you post?

Also I didn't see anyone asking for "help", you are free to comment as everyone else in here is, but shoving your opinion on someone else is just that, doesn't make you right.

 

[cliffordcooley]

See you in the next article!