Overture Services, Inc. v. Google Inc.

Filing 116

Declaration of Ravind S. Grewal in Support of 115 Google's Responsive Claim Construction Brief filed by Google Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1# 2 Exhibit 2# 3 Exhibit 3# 4 Exhibit 4# 5 Exhibit 5# 6 Exhibit 6# 7 Exhibit 7# 8 Exhibit 8# 9 Exhibit 9# 10 Exhibit 10# 11 Exhibit 11# 12 Exhibit 12# 13 Exhibit 13# 14 Exhibit 14# 15 Exhibit 15# 16 Exhibit 16# 17 Exhibit 17# 18 Exhibit 18# 19 Exhibit 19# 20 Exhibit 20# 21 Exhibit 21# 22 Exhibit 22# 23 Exhibit 23# 24 Exhibit 24# 25 Exhibit 25# 26 Exhibit 26# 27 Exhibit 27# 28 Exhibit 28# 29 Exhibit 29# 30 Exhibit 30)(Related document(s) 115 ) (Grewal, Ravind) (Filed on 1/30/2004)

Overture Services, Inc. v. Google Inc.

Doc. 116 Att. 1

Case 3:02-cv-01991-JSW

Document 116-2

Filed 01/30/2004

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EXHIBIT

Dockets.Justia.com

Case 3:02-cv-01991-JSW

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Ove

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, v. Google , N. D. Gal. C02-01991

Engine

sells results , draws fire

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Free download'

Engine sells results , draws fire
By

Nick Wingfield

Staff , CNET News. com
June 21 ,
URL:

1996 4 p.m. PT

htt!J:/IvNvw. news. com/News/ltem/O.4. 1635. 00. html

How objective are the results you get when you go to your favorite search engines? That' s the IIlci~~ search engine that recently began selling Web sites question raised by a new Qp-~~~t preferred" status in its index so that their site is more likely to show up in results.

Search engines allow users to query vast indexes of Web sites to locate information , but they often generate dizzying amounts of data that can be ovem'helming. Many engines uses " relevancy ranklngs " that attempt to indicate how relevant the result is to the query. Web publishers , on the other hand , want search engines to help their sites rise above the sea of results , relevant or not.
Open Text is offering to help those publishers by allowing them premium slots in its search engine without requiring them to buy more expensive advertising banners. Under the company Preferred Listing service , a merchant that sells personal computers online , for example , could ensure that its computer. and PC Web site appears as the top listing in searches for the terms
The approach has already created controversy since a marketing representative for Open Text posted information about the service on an email broadcast list. The information later ignited a debate in a Online-News . Open Text supporters say that search engines separate email discussion group, called aren't obligated to maintain editorial objectivity in the same way thatjoumalists are.
Everybody expects

The Ne.J:J J:..orJs1ime to adhere to journalistic integrity, but I don t think it should

be anyone s expectation of a search engine on the Internet " said Rosalind Resnick, president of Net
software and marketing company

NetCreations

Open Text , which also sells off-the-shelf search engine technology to businesses , defends its practice because Prefeued Listings clearly flags paid- for entries with special icons and mixes non-paid Web sites with the preferred ones. The company compares the service to the phone company s yellow pages in that both are comprehensive listings that give bigger ads and more prominent placement to advertisers who pay for the privilege.
This service was in response to market demand. I have so many people calling me saying, ' Can we

pay you to be in the top- ten results?' Eighty- five percent of our users will only look at the flIst ten results of a search " said Lilly Buchwitz, marketing manager for Open Text Index. " ve had some people say we re compromising our integrity, but it' s exactly like the yellow pages.

But at least one other Net search engine says that comparison is not entirely accurate. Open Text Index represents itself to reveal Web sites in a relevant order. With the yellow pages

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Engine sells results , draws fire

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listings are delivered alphabetically. There s no illusion there " said Bob Davis , CEO of , this damages the integrity of the search service. This is like librarians putting books Lycos end on the (of a bookshelf) if you pay her some extra money. We would not do it with Lycos.

Other industry observers see the Open Text service as being akin to advertorials , the paid- for promotional stories that adorn magazines.
" said Margie Wylie I2Jgjral Medig V/h.ile it might be cheesy, it's not entirely deceptive. That division between editorial and advertising is more important on the Web than ever. If you Jose your credibility, you lose your stock in trade because you re selling information.
editor at industry newsletter

A real danger comes when you start mixing advertising in with your editorial

Related stories:

Oracle , CMP to launch search e~ne Yahoo searc es for TV niche Another engine takes ads by the clic New ad model charges by the click Yahoo retracts unlisted home addresses Lycos gives users maps for searches Yahoo revs UQ its search engines

Go to

Fr9nLDoor

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