Google founder Brim sees "scary" future for the net
The co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, is concerned about the lack of web freedom. He feels that applications and networks such as Facebook are making things less extensively available to the outside world because they prevent certain information from being picked up by search engines. This is not the lack of internet freedom that has been disputed with reference to the SOPA bill in the US, which would have affected web hosts such as Blue host, but more to do with how information is regulated online. In an interview with the Guardian, Brin explained

"I am more worried than I have been in the past. It's scary... There's a lot to be lost. For example, all the information in apps - that data is not crawlable by web crawlers. You can't search it. You have to play by their rules, which are really restrictive. The kind of environment that we developed Google in, the reason that we were able to develop a search engine, is the web was so open. Once you get too many rules, that will stifle innovation."

More like it will stifle Google's ability to deliver the service it would like to. Brin is certainly going to guard his old organization in opposition to its identified challengers such as Facebook and Twitter but the truth is that the net is transforming. In my view search engines will grow to be increasingly inconsequential in a number of years for two reasons.

1. The growth of the usage of smart phones means that searches will become even more dedicated to the user's particular preferences. Not only will searches need to bring up local data in the location which they are in but also, it will need to have more relevant info. Social networks are far better at helping you discover relevant information as recommendations from friends and suggestions from groups are a lot more trustworthy than a generic search result. Google knows this and this is the reason for the introduction of Google+.

2. Technological enhancements such as Siri and perhaps other new developments will see search engines perhaps still being used to find information but not directly. User preferences, connected to their social networks and from other sources, will be a part of these types of searches.

Brin it seems is more anxious that the information for Google to provide such a service themselves is not possible, because it is not a social network platform exclusively. He therefore is concerned that hegemonic status will go to another firm such as Facebook, Twitter or perhaps yet another corporation totally.