Google lets you edit your search results.

[gabrielcrowe]

I have noticed that when signed into Google, there are new buttons near search results, that let you either promote a result, or strip it out.

You can also post public comments on sites, and view comments by others.

This is an interesting move by Google, who may or not be using this data to better their indexes.

Editing Google?

Please, hyper evaluate:

[TraceyHand]

hmmm..so it does
Presumably it only affects results as they are displayed to YOU though?

[gabrielcrowe]

this is true. however i cannot believe that if a massive group of people vote a site up, then it'll not rise the ranks?

[TraceyHand]

interesting.
I LOVE your conspiracy theories, Gabe!!

[Chunkford]

is this what you are talking about?
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/21/google-it-wasnt-broke/

[grantglendinnin]

Is it just me or is Google ever increasingly becoming a Big Brother of the web?

They spy on you like the CIA.

What we need is somebody with access (or friends!) to several IP's, spread across the world. Then we can find a search phrase that yields very few results, then we can vote it up and see if they really are spying or if we're all just conspirators, what'd you think?

[Chunkford]

Its the natural course of any business - WORLD DOMINATION!

[CymraegKev]

I've been seeing this for around a week now. Its interesting to see in my search results when another site has been "bigged up" by other people.

[Mark H]

Anyone successfully left a comment which is visible to others? (or even seen one??)

[Golf Tee Warehouse]

The other interesting / worrying addition is the button to add a publie comment that can be viewed by everyone. How can you stop a competitor from adding a negative comment.

[CymraegKev]

I've not actually seen that bit working yet..... but is worrying.

[Chunkford]

Whats more worrying is the fact when you promote a site, it then stay at the top for other related keywords that you are up on too.
So if a competitor was 5th for a keyword and someone promoted them to No.1, they would also be No.1 position for other keywords too, so all that hardwork in SEO is useless!

[Golf Tee Warehouse]

Paul,

The site promote feature only applies to your own searches while logged into google and is not seen by anybody else, although whether Google use the data in their own algorithm is unclear.

[gabrielcrowe]

not strictly true.

you see, its only for you, currently logged in to see.

you cannot directly edit the public's view of the web. only your own.

[Chunkford]

ummmm interesting, so if people are logging into Google and promoting sites, then regardless after that promotion you will have no chance of getting to number 1?