5.9 Impacts of CS: Web Searches Curriculum Page
Chapter 4 - Read the following parts of Chapter 4:
Before the reading consider the following questions and then complete the K-W-L chart.
I notice that they are mostly school related.
I use google primarily. Sometimes I use yahoo, but I really don't like it.
Google certainly predicts my searches.
Not identical, but generally yes.
It depends. If you're looking for impartial, unbiased information, then a search engine that does not factor in
How do web search tools make it more efficient to find information?
Web search tools make it more efficient to find information, because it takes into consideration what has been recently searched, and uses that information to refine what you receive on your search pages.
When you type a word or phrase into the Google search engine, what is the search algorithm that is being used? Explain in your own words the process used by Google's search engine.
The algorithm that is being used is called PageRank. It is a unique system that Google, used when the company was founded. With this algorithm, Google does not search the entire web. It refines its searches through its index of web pages. Through this algorithm, spiders, which are programs created by Google are sent out to obtain a copy of a webpage.
What is a captcha? How has the collective efforts of Internet users contributed to analyzing images through captchas?
A captcha is a test which determines if the user is a computer or a human. The collective efforts of internet users has contributed to analyzing images through captchas by dumping images that can only truly be recognized by humans.
"The architecture of human knowledge has changed as a result of search." Do you agree? Explain your reasoning.
I do agree. Now, most pieces of information are at our fingertips. This was never before the case. The world has completely opened up to internet users, and can be accessed just through a search bar.
What are the differences between Figures 4.10 and Figure 4.11 in the book? Why are there differences even though they are both a Google search results page?
There are sizable differences between the figures. There are differences even though they are both on a google search results page because government interests factor into the content that people receive. This is unethical in my opinion.
Would you retain your search history or delete it? Why?
For privacy, I would delete it. I don't have anything to hide in my search bar, but I still don't want it to be able to be accessed and obtained by others. I do not believe the whole "You have nothing to worry about if you didn't do anything wrong". Even though my internet searches are innocuous and not much would be found by them, I still do NOT want others to be able to access my private information.
Should a researcher place absolute trust in a search engine? Why or why not?
A researcher should not place absolute trust in a search engine. A search engine is ultimately biased, and learns from previous searches what type of information that you tend to read. Google also puts advertisements at the top, which they do label as advertisements, but still.
The authors claim "search is a new form of control over information" (p. 111) and "search is power" (p. 145). Why might it be important to talk about the social implications of searching on the Internet?
It is important to talk about the social implications of searching on the internet because searching has lead to the promulgation and proliferation of information about general things, but also about people. Peoples actions and what they say is now immortalized via the internet, and it can come back to harm them. Searching also can reveal information that one might never have wanted to know.
How have search trends been used to predict information? What are the positive and negative impacts of using trends to make predictions?
Search trends have been used to predict information by analyzing key words, and matching them to other pieces of information.
Find and read an article about web searches or algorithms. Write a 3-4 paragraph summary of the article. Include the author's name, the title of the article, the date it was published, and a link to the article.
https://www.wsoaonline.com/does-your-internet-history-effect-google-search-results/
Personalized search was officially introduced in 2005 to users with Google accounts. In 2009 Google launched the feature to everyone who used their search engine, including those not signed in with Google accounts.
According to Google, personalized search gives them the ability to customize search results based on a user’s previous 180 days of search history, which is linked to an anonymous cookie in your browser. This is how Google personalizes results when you’re not signed in under a Google account. When you’re signed in, Google stores your Google web history and search is personalized even more.
Web Solutions of America