Lecture Notes: Google Search and Information

Introduction

• Louis XIV, the Sun King, was curious about the Qing Dynasty in China.
• Commissioned royal mathematicians for information gathering.
• Curiosity drove human progress historically.

Information Access Through Time

• People used various mediums for information: cave walls, books, printing press.
• Modern day comparison: billions ask questions similar to Louis XIV daily.

Ben Gomes and Search at Google

• Ben Gomes, born in Darussalam, influenced by limited access to information.
• Fascination with encyclopedias led to a career in search.
• Search evolved from physical libraries to global digital access.

Google Search Mission

• Mission: Organize world's information and make it universally accessible.
• Key elements:
  • Organizing information
  • Universality: Accessible to everyone, regardless of language or ability.

How Google Search Works

• Search processes queries in less than a second.
• Uses algorithms to index and rank web pages.
• Combats spam and ensures high-quality search results.

Challenges Faced by Google Search

• 15% of daily queries are new, requiring constant evolution.
• Algorithms are frequently updated (6 changes per day).

Google's Approach to Quality

• Search quality raters assess website quality using a 168-page guideline.
• Emphasis on expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

Handling Misinformation

• Google adjusts algorithms to emphasize authority on sensitive topics.
• Example: Correcting search results for "Did the Holocaust happen?"

Google Search Features

• Autocomplete helps speed up searches but has faced issues with inappropriate predictions.
• Users can report problematic autocomplete suggestions.

Technological Advances in Search

• Machine learning and natural language processing are key areas.
• BERT technology helps improve language understanding in search queries.

Behind the Scenes: Google’s Data Centers

• Physical infrastructure supports search with data centers worldwide.
• Ads fund Google operations and make search free for users.

Continuous Improvement

• Google continuously experiments and learns from failures to improve search.

Conclusion

• Google Search aims to connect people with the highest quality information.
• Mission remains relevant: satisfy curiosity and improve understanding of the world.