Google Instant: instantly distracted

A few days ago Google launched its new way of search that promised to be ‘faster than the speed of type’. Instant Search, the new way name, is sort of similar to the earlier search predictions, but this one is on steroids. It is designed to cut off a lot of time users spend on searching, allowing them to spend more time on the results. While users first saw search term predictions, now the results are even displayed instantly while typing. This means that the search results will change with every keystroke and makes Google search a very dynamic experience. Users now can scan search results while typing and don’t have to press enter for results. In effect, search time can be decreased by 2 – 5 seconds per search: that is the new service, now what is the price?

First of all, say goodbye to the static clean look of the Google homepage because it will become a searchpage flashing all different kinds of results with every keystroke. Second, this idea isn’t new. Third, I have always been sceptical on predictions and recommendations systems. On macro-level I believe it will result in cultural decline by recommending an automated menu that is constituted by information of others, creating some kind of tunnel vision for the masses. On micro-level, recommendation systems are developed to actually increase the vision of the user by showing him information he otherwise would not have seen. However, in the search industry it can be argued that it won’t gets you time saved but instead adds time because it distracts the user from its actual goal. How much time have you lost by clicking on something that you weren’t actually looking for? With Google Instant, the distractions are tenfold.

This new way of search is another attempt of Google to control its users. This already happens by imposing search results as neutral while often they are personalized search results when logged in to your Google account. Another step towards a similar idea of what Deuze and Blanken in their book Pop-up call the ‘metacracy’: where mathematical algorithms make collective intelligence the standard. Where companies such as Google in the future (which is now) know what we want before we actually know what we want. Some say it will make the us stupid and some say it will stimulate our mental activity. Nonetheless, I think I will press the ‘disable Instant Search’-button and continue to believe I have some control when searching on the web.