Santa Clara University — The Ethics and Politics of Search Engines

Business Wire, Feb 6, 2006

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Google "February 27" and you're likely to find two important events related to search engines themselves amidst your results.

Originally, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose was to hear the case between the Department of Justice and Google, Inc., regarding Google's refusal to comply with the DOJ subpoena to turn over data related to pornography searches on that date. Though the hearing has since been postponed, February 27 is still the date for a timely forum on the ethics and politics of search engines hosted by Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Center for Science, Technology and Society (CSTS). "The Ethics and Politics of Search Engines" will be held on Feb. 27 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Williman Room at SCU.

"We urgently need to develop the fundamentals for just and equitable ethics and politics of search engines and to put into place mechanisms for their deployment," said Geoffrey Bowker executive director of CSTS and a panelist for the discussion. Also on the panel: Peter Norvig, director of research at Google and Terry Winograd, professor of computer science at Stanford University. Each will present his own list of top ethical issues currently confronting the search industry. Kirk Hanson, executive director of the Markkula Center, will moderate the discussion following the short presentations.

"This is meant for everybody," notes David DeCosse, director of campus ethics programs at SCU. "The ethical issues search engines raise don't just get hammered out in Congress or in meetings at federal courthouses to work out subpoenas, although those are important venues." Engineers, entrepreneurs, and the general public should consider and discuss the ethical and political ramifications of search engines as well.

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located in California's Silicon Valley, offers its 8,397 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees. Distinguished nationally by the third-highest graduation rate among all U.S. master's universities, California's oldest higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. More information is online at www.scu.edu.