As we know that Google has started providing facilities to the people to be removed from search results and this has resulted in infuriating a music and film industry. The industries argued that Google should help them eradicate digital piracy. Previously, European Union ruling privacy forced Google to give in to them. The ruling stated that individuals in Europe had the right to be able to demand Google to remove data about them. Mike Weatherly, the intellectual property adviser of David Cameron lambasted Google for not putting enough effort in putting a stop to online piracy, a day earlier in a report.
When the search giant allowed people to be forgotten, it proved that when forced, it can carry out tasks that it wants such as putting a stop to search results from its pirate websites. The Chief executive of the music industry, Geoff Taylor criticized Google for not trying to put an end to illegal business being conducted. The search engine giant does not like to fiddle with its precious search algorithm, because it is regarded as the company’s golden goose carrying a value worth $383bn, but in some circumstances the company has had to make changes for its own protection.
When firms such as Rap Genius breached the search marketing rules made by Google, the search giant punished them in the form of traffic killing and demotion. Taylor said that even though Google engineers are in charge of how the algorithm operates and how to act, responsibly or morally, Google says that it is not interested in interfering with its own algorithm. He further added that the music industry is suffering losses with more than $1bn illegal downloads. Illegal websites when taken down appear soon after that in an almost similar disguise which highlights that working with Google can sometimes be a troubled experience.
In the past month alone, 4.6m requests have been made to Google to take down pirate websites and de-list them. Vince Cable, the business secretary stated that Google should know that it plays an important role in guiding traffic to illegal websites but at the same time it defended that Google was not wholly to be blamed for piracy because not all but 13% illegal downloaders use search engines to download music and movies from music and film sites. However, it cannot be denied that this a major problem because statistics show that 50% of the users downloaded and watched films online without paying.
It was pointed out by Google defenders that, hardcore of users are responsible for serious piracy. Statistics showed that 1.6% of UK internet users are responsible for the 79% of illegal activities taking place. It was also said by the partners at Olswang, John Esner that even if Google removes these websites from search results, the users will still be able to find them. Furthermore, Google was told to be more careful in removing information keeping in mind that the information it removes is not limiting the freedom of speech. The search giant has been a bit slow to react to the demands of the people and on the other hand, the anti-piracy efforts it makes are ineffective.