In the short time that Google Instant Search has been active, supporters and detractors have been more than vocal on its merits and shortcomings. A few days back, the 2600, a well-known hacker site, published a list of those searches that default to a blank screen instead of a list of most popular search results (as is the case with Google's traditional search interface). The first few entries from the list are as follows:
Now, beyond the simple existence of the list, the do-no-evil acolytes at Google (and yes, the analogy to the Church over the last millennium is intended) have created a rich set of fodder for social psychologists.... a snapshot of the memes, no-fly zones, and politically charged catch-phrases that only an all-encompassing cloud-based intelligence, if I may call it that, can provide. As one of my colleagues noted, the cloud is providing an unprecedented tool to analyze trends and possibly control human behavior, but he then went on to note that unfortunately, although he finds the field fascinating, he can still make more money flogging speeds and feeds.
What is scary is how tools such as instant search can begin to influence research, popular discussion and dissension, and eventually, the very existence of a fact or event. I'm sure the propagandists of the early 20th century only wish they had this power at their disposal. It truly is a Brave New World. Huxley... are you watching?
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