BBC Launches... Google?
from the the-story-that-wasn't dept
Here's an article hyping up the fact that the BBC is launching their own "commercial free" internet search site because they're so upset with all these other search engines and their paid listings. As I was reading it, I thought that this seemed silly, since more and more people now use Google - which doesn't do pay-for-placement searches. Then I get to the bottom of the article where they admit that it's "powered by Google". So, this isn't some new "commercial free" search engine that the BBC is launching. They just licensed Google. Of course, it also uses some BBC technology, which appear to be filters to keep out bad things like porn - but we all know how well filters tend to work.
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Free from commercial pressures?
Ah, yes...the BBC's version of Google is "free from commercial pressures" as it "finds sites from around the world, but gives preferential ranking to British ones." Yes, indeed.
There's so much there to make fun of, it's hard to pick just one thing...
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Google DOES have pay-for placement
http://adwords.google.com/
Its a pay per click system like overture. Granted, it doesn't show in the same list asn the regular results, but they do accept advertising.
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Re: Google DOES have pay-for placement
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