Google has taken a patent on something called “Agent Rank,” by which the search firm hopes to rank Web sites by the personal reputation of their authors by developing digital signatures.
This, of coruse, is another attempt to prevent spammers from gaming the system. Once Google identifies spammers and assigns them signatures, the next step is to derank and/or ban their sites.
Is this a good or bad thing?
While preventing spammers (who usually are get-rich-quick schemers with little or nothing of value to offer the user) is a noble goal, there’s something inhrently Big Brotherly about this new ranking system.
I’ve long written that Google is now or is at least fast becoming the Medieval Catholic Church of cyberspace, and this is another tool in its Inquisition.
For a further discussion, please read Jennifer Laycock’s Search Engine Guide article.
Tags: Google, Agent Rank
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