Dispatch 4 - Just Google It!

It’s easy to feel Facebooks cultural influence as it facilitates 2 billion members. That’s roughly 31% of the world population. But Google, the other dominant player in shaping our opinions, has its own unique challenges that come as a result of rapid growth and a desire to dominate the search related digital advertising marketplace.

 

In this dispatch I look at Google’s continuing dominance of search based advertising highlighting problems that have recently surfaced in how it pushes certain stories to the top of its results. The other topic I cast some illumination on is the latest move by Google, Facebook and Amazon to capture more of our personal data through digital assistants located in every room or our homes. If you’re like me and find this more than just a little creepy, check it out. You don’t have to become the family they are featuring in their advertising.