The Social, Political, Economic, and Cultural Dimensions of Search Engines: An Introduction
Eszter Hargittai · Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication · 2007
Search engines are some of the most popular destinations on the Web—understandably so, given the vast amounts of information available to users and the need for help in sifting through online content. While the results of significant technical achievements, search engines are also embedded in social processes and institutions that influence how they function and how they are used. This special theme section of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication explores these non-technical aspects of search engines and their uses.