Yes! There is finally good competition for Google (the search engine)! There’s at least 3 startups that try new things in this domain, and often beat Google at search quality: Kagi.com (the one I use day to day), you.com, and neeva.com
If (and I have no idea if this is on their minds at all) the legislature (US) decide to force these “carriers” to have their users use their real names (like Google Plus used to), I think we would find that the entire situation would change. It would reduce or remove the need for censoring and fact checking, and allow the big tech companies to once again let go of responsibility for what people say online.
However, no tech company is going to succeed in doing this alone – people love their anonymity and the ability to shit-post. It would have to be legislated on all the companies. Google Plus kind of proves the point – we are hard wired to be drawn to drama and conflict over reason and debate.
Yes! There is finally good competition for Google (the search engine)! There’s at least 3 startups that try new things in this domain, and often beat Google at search quality: Kagi.com (the one I use day to day), you.com, and neeva.com
If (and I have no idea if this is on their minds at all) the legislature (US) decide to force these “carriers” to have their users use their real names (like Google Plus used to), I think we would find that the entire situation would change. It would reduce or remove the need for censoring and fact checking, and allow the big tech companies to once again let go of responsibility for what people say online.
However, no tech company is going to succeed in doing this alone – people love their anonymity and the ability to shit-post. It would have to be legislated on all the companies. Google Plus kind of proves the point – we are hard wired to be drawn to drama and conflict over reason and debate.
If nothing else, forcing people to divulge their personal information to corporations would be a step backward.
It is in the interest of these companies so that they can sell back this information, but hardly in our interest.
If you aren’t already reading it, you might enjoy Matt Stoller’s column, Big.
Your prognosis that disruption will come is wise. I cannot help but wonder how VCs are preparing their halls for the feasts to come…