alt_religion_scientology/FACTNetARS20011115

From: < XXX-Obsolete.email.Deleted-XXX > (Lawrence Wollersheim)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Re: Scientology rules search engines
Date: 15 Nov 2001 06:01:53 -0800
Message-ID: <67cf5f5d.0111150601.41d61558@posting.google.com>
NNTP-Posting-Date: 15 Nov 2001 14:01:53 GMT

What is occurring in Google is similar to a person searching for
National Socialism and getting nothing but pro-Nazi information on the
first page of search results. Or getting nothing but pro-satanism,
pro-christian, pro-atheist, pro-democrat, pro-republican in the first
page of results.

The power of the internet used to be that one could find alternative
points of view fairly easily.

The power of Google used to be that it presented search results with
very little bias in favour of corporations or "isms".

The way Google is presenting its results now is anti-democratic,
anti-free speech and not conducive to the creation of debate. It
should be self-evident that in these dark days of nationalism,
corporate greed and religious monomania that debate is the perfect
antidote to rash action.

It should also be self-evident that unless we protect and promote our
freedoms on the net that we, like all other minorities, will become
marginalised. We will have no voice. There will be no debate. And all
we are really asking for is, in fact, debate.

In this regard, and with specific reference to Google and the search
results for "scientology", we believe that the only way to fairly
present these results would be to alternate the result listings
between pro and con sites. It is also not difficult to do since the
results that are being presented at the moment emanate from the Google
or DMOZ directory listings. They are not general web results. And it
is because the website directory listings are so easy to identify and
categorise that we know the currect results are a manipulation.

Consequently, we urge Google to address this issue so that it does not
become known as a propagandist for powerful interest groups.

Also, we urge all a.r.s. people to direct their complaints regarding
this issue to:
Suggestions: suggestions@google.com
Praise and complaints: comments@google.com
Not satisfied with search results?: search-quality@google.com

IMHO
FACTNet Staff