“Google is sloppy!”
“No, deleting sites that violate the disciplinary code is justified”.
Such debate has been sweeping the recent Japanese corporate world. One fine day, the company discovers that its site has disappeared from the Google search engine. This debate got triggered off when the internet site of Cyber Agent, a leading internet advertising agency disappeared.
Google's headquarters called "Googleplex". There have been some conflicts with its growth.
It was on 28th March 2006 that CyberAgent, Inc. realized that its site on the Google had been taken off. It did not show in spite of directly entering the address repeatedly. This caused commotion among the service staff who realized that there was something wrong. Initially they thought that it was some problem with the internet but even the next day, situation remained all the same.
Site got revived when link with the group was deleted
Google is said to be quite strict against “spam” wherein results of search on the search engine are displayed on top by design. This is so to say the unfair practice. CyberAgent fearing so deleted the mutual link with the sites (about 40 numbers) of group companies the next day and its site got revived on 31st morning.
Numbers of access increase if there are many links. It is for this reason that mutual link is often used as SEO (Search Engine Optimization). In the public announcement by the company, Cyber Agent explained “We are checking with Google the reason for non-accessibility but so far there is no reply. We have not intentionally indulged in any unfair practices”. JINBN too requested Google Japan for an appointment to get information on the matter but could not get a positive response.
The same thing has happened in the past too from time to time. In February 2006, in Germany, Ricoh’s German language site and the site of BMW suddenly disappeared from the Google search engine. Ricoh learnt about this not from Google but based on a blog from an engineer with Google. It said that deletion was due to spam. PRO of Ricoh for Japan said in a dissatisfactory tone “We revised the site as pointed out by the engineer. We had to do it as Google is overwhelmingly strong in the west but we did not indulge in any spam.
There are also views in support of Google’s action
The higher the number of searches, more popular that company is regarded. This determines the number of advertisements as well as the price that site commands. It is natural to think that in spite of all this, indulging in spam cannot be justified.
With regard to deletion of CyberAgent from the search engine, there is a strong view on the internet that “Google’s action is justified”. However, there is also an opinion, on the other hand, that Google has gone too far without bothering to explain what spam means.
Site of Artisan Crew Engineering, a U.S. search engine marketing company says as under:
“In the Sectional Meeting on the spam issue as a part of the Search Engine Strategies held at Silicon Valley in August 2002, an engineer of Google by mistake projected the blacklist of SEO Providers.”
(It appeared to be a slip up but our VP who happened to sit in the front row said “It was without a doubt intentional”. Japanese IT professional say, “Feigning chance happening is the way of Google”.
“We never modify the displayed contents of a search” says Yahoo Japan
Well then, how do domestic search engines deal with such issues?
PRO of Yahoo Japan explains “We never modify the displayed contents of a search, even if it is a spam. Of course, if it is a crime (sale/purchase through an illegal account etc.), then it is a different matter”. Even at the Portal Site “Goo”, they say “In principle, we put up all the information provided to us, except when something is considered against public morals or when deletion is requested for.” They also add that “We cannot even think of deleting a first-rated major company as Google did."
One may think that CyberAgent has received a blow due to this incident but it does not seem to be so. According to Net Rating – an internet viewing rate survey company, “There is no impact on the number of searchers as well as page view in the week the company was taken off Google compared to that in the past” (PRO Mr. Soichiro Nishimura). PRO of CyberAgent also disclosed that “We were thinking that we would get inquiries from the users but there were none”. Mr. Nishimura of Net Listing analyzes the reason behind it as under;
“It is because in Japan, Yahoo is strong and users access CyberAgent mostly through Yahoo”.
In the annual results of Google for Fiscal 2005, net profit stood at $146.5 million – a 3.7 fold increase over the previous year and the turnover increased rapidly to $ 613.8 million – an increase of 92.5% over the previous year. According to Web Side Story, a Web Analysis Service Company, Google’s share in all searches made on the internet in March 2006 was 62% worldwide, 55% in America and 75% in England. People banter that “This strength is providing a spur to sloppiness.” Deletion from Google is being termed as “Ostracizing by Google” or “Google Censorship”.
Above mentioned Mr. Nishimura observes “Only the users will decide whether they want a user-oriented engine where they can search each and everything or they want an engine that is restrictive”. Mr. Mamoru Takahashi a senior researcher with Communications and IT Sector, Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) cites the instance of Google being strongly reprimanded in the public hearing of the Committee on International Relations, U.S. House of Representatives held on 15th February 2006 for having cooperated with China in internet censorship. He sarcastically remarks “As the leader in internet search, Google is high-handed towards companies but bends its knees before China. People are mocking at it for its double standards. It is questionable whether it will be able to continue its domination of internet which is supposedly a free space.”
In Europe which is feeling a sense of crisis over such expanding domination of Google, there is already a move to create an indigenous search engine.
