Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Search Engine Market Share

Few days ago I came across with the graph above. I have always known that Google’s share of all the searches made is huge, but I never knew it was that big. It is true that the figure 90% or so is just an estimate, but even the other sources say that Google’s share is very superior to that of the others, such as Yahoo etc. In other words, it is very much up to Google on what information we will see and what not in the web. Every time we do a search, it is the folks in Google (or their algorithms)  that decide what type of information we will receive and what kind of world view it represents.

For a conspiracy theorist Google makes a pretty tempting “target”. There are already quite a few theories, I googled (naturally) some of them, and among others found this list on where different type of google-conspiracy-theories were categorized. Many of the theories  have their faults, but I have to admit that the ingredients for a good conspiracy theory or just to be bit suspicious are, well, very much out there.

Search could be translated into “what is it that you want or need?”. Google has the answer. By performing the search and showing up the results, Google decides what is it that you will get. Moreover, just as well that the search can be used to predict flu epidemies it can also be asked what is it that people currently want or need and where. To take one step further, Google decides what is it that you will use to satisfy your need. At the same time, it might be even able to create new needs and desires via the results it provides. This would mean that Google could also decide what is it that you need.

Besides the share of searches Google maintains, there are also other reasons. First of all, Google has been able to gain “control” on probably the most significant place/area/platform of the moment (and most likely the future as well), the www. Communication of any sort takes place more and more within the web, and as and if more developing countries connect, Google is right there waiting for them, ready to introduce them to the wonderfull world of the net.

Furthermore, Google has had some controversial views on privacy, and possesses inmense amounts of data on users and their preferences as well as their web behaviour in general. This data is received not only through search, but through other services and sites such as email or Gmail, Google Maps, Youtube, Google Chrome (which seems to have so far somewhat limited impact though) etc. Furthermore, more and more webmasters rely on Google’s programs such as Analytics, Website optimizer etc. Advertizers are very familiar with words such as AdWords or AdSense. In the web, Google seems to be everywhere.

It is a clear overstatement to say that Google is the web, but in many cases it seems to be at least the gate to the web, no matter what is your purpose of being in there. With its massive amounts of user (and other) data, highly popular search engine and (in most cases free) tools and services, Google can, for instance, affect the information we receive, the things we buy, the way we live and our world view in general. From there you only need to add one more ingredient, that is the evil mind in the top who “does evil”, and has some links to e.g. Illuminati or Bilderberg Group, and there you have it, the conspiracy theory with Google in the center.

However, as in most of the conspiracy theories, something is lacking. One thing is that the web is not disconnected from the real world, and Google does not have the same power outside the web as within it. If search results were significantly fixed, you could find the “correct” information from other sources (unless they as well would be involved). In any case, eventually Google would most likely only be shooting itself into the leg. If the users do not find what they want, they go to somewhere else, and luckily enough, there are other options available.

Furthermore, conspiracy theories many times have at least one thing in common with economics, that is they tend to see individuals as robot-likes, with very little capacity to think on their own or differently from the rest. Everybody is made out of the same mold and behaves exactly the same and has the same wants and needs. Admitted that in some cases this might be true (the human race has certainly committed its fair share of stupidities), but I still refuse to agree that we are all idiots all of the time.

Finally, despite of some of the more controversial issues such as the one on privacy and user data, Google seems to be one of the lesser evils to say the least. That does not mean that they are angels, but on most occasions they have been very far from hell as well. Besides, running a company like Google should keep “them” busy enough, why in the world would one want any more harm by ruling the world as well? This said, Google’s might should not be underestimated either. They do seem to effect the everyday web usage of most of us who are able to connect. I personally still do not seem them too bad, at least not yet, happily letting Google to put their adds and using Analytics on my blog. However, if this post or blog would strangely disappear from the search results, who knows, maybe there are more in it than few proper ingredients…