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Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

bbc.com

1–10 of 152 posts

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#3
To be fair to Google, it opposed the European court ruling. But its implementation of it looks odd, perhaps clumsy.

I find it incredible that Google is held at fault in this case because they don't choose whether it is "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant" in a way that fits the author's view. Such an analysis is so absurdly subjective, and it is impossible for Google to satisfy both sides.

The European Court ruling is pure absurdity, and this article could more accurately be titled "European Court Rules That Past Must Be Wiped. Much Comedy As Result."

There is no possible way that Google can implement it that won't endlessly earn them criticism, such as this piece.

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#4
I like that they told the author that his article would no longer be viewable.

If that's the case, and the 'removal' is not secret, then they could (should?) totally make available a separate database of articles that people have asked to be removed.

Basically, the original article may be old (or theoretically irrelevant) but the fact that someone asked for it to be removed is very new and not at all irrelevant. It would be awesome to see this as the Streisand effect writ large - everything that people want to see buried actually gets a new surge of attention.

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#5
post #3

To be fair to Google, it opposed the European court ruling. But its implementation of it looks odd, perhaps clumsy. I find it incredible that Google is held at fault in this case because they don't choose whether it is "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant" in a way that fits the author's view. Such an analysis is so absurdly subjective, and it is impossible for Google to satisfy both sides. The European Cour…

Unless Google wants to treat the EU like they did China and redirect all searches to a jurisdiction with actual press freedoms, they're doing all they can here.

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#6

I like that they told the author that his article would no longer be viewable. If that's the case, and the 'removal' is not secret, then they could (should?) totally make available a separate database of articles that people have asked to be removed. Basically, the original article may be old (or theoretically irrelevant) but the fact that someone asked for it to be removed is very new and not at all irrelevant. It w…

This is actually a very good outcome. It will end up with those things where people do not mind something being forgotten actually being forgotten, while the decision to revive the content is still a perfectly viable option.

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#8
This is a great example of the Streisand effect [0] -- trying to hide something draws attention to it.

Specifically, I now know about Stan O'Neal, who "was forced out of Merrill [Lynch] after the investment bank suffered colossal losses on reckless investments it had made." Google may no longer be showing the original result, but now I see the reason for the original article and the fact that he wanted it hidden.

[0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#9
post #2

Someone needs to make a search engine that only returns results for things that people have tried to hide under this law.

Or just make it hard to find all the instances. For example, this article itself references the content in the article that was removed from search results. The effectiveness of having the original link removed is probably very minimal unless this page is also removed.

Ultimately, it's a race. The "hider" has to find all the things they want hidden and explicitly list them. As long as the content spreads faster than it is banned, the banning is negated.

Re: Why has Google cast me into oblivion?

#10

I like that they told the author that his article would no longer be viewable. If that's the case, and the 'removal' is not secret, then they could (should?) totally make available a separate database of articles that people have asked to be removed. Basically, the original article may be old (or theoretically irrelevant) but the fact that someone asked for it to be removed is very new and not at all irrelevant. It w…

Presumably he can then reissue the article. That for Google is a different instance and recent content making it outside the auspices of the EU law?
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