ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how the search algorithm constructs the ontology of Google history. It also explores how content providers “game” the algorithm so that their pages about Google history will secure top spots on search results. While critics are definite that Google Search is a gatekeeper and Google claims that the algorithms are intelligent, it may be worthwhile finding out how Google Search answers the query of Google history. The purpose is to find out how knowledge is intersubjectively constructed both by the algorithms and by the content providers: content providers produce content to be crawled by the algorithms; algorithms rank the websites; content providers change information on the websites in response to the algorithms. The chapter utilises methods of narrative analysis and social network analysis. It suggests how the results of social network analysis reinforce those of narrative analysis and discusses how social network analysis may enrich a political economic critique.
