Revisiting Search Engine Bias

Abstract

Questions about search engine bias have percolated in the academic literature for over a decade. In the past few years, the issue has evolved from a quiet academic debate to a full-blown regulatory and litigation frenzy. At the center of this maelstrom is Google, the dominant market player.

This Essay looks at changes in the industry and political environment over the past half-dozen years that have contributed to the current situation. This essay supplements my prior contribution to the literature, a 2006 essay entitled Search Engine Bias and the Demise of Search Engine Utopianism.

Keywords: search engine, search engine bias, search neutrality, ranking algorithm, antitrust, google, bing, twitter, facebook, Google

JEL Classification: D83, K21