Analysis: Yahoo! to pass search reins over to the user

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 9 Feb 2006 at 17:55

So Yahoo! is no longer looking to just build the perfect algorithm that knows what you really want. There's an element of trust in your handing over the reins to a search engine: trust that the relevant results are at the top and that you're not being kept from the information you want.

'There's a fine line between trying to surmise user intent and overstepping the line and shooting them off where they don't want to be,' said Horowitz.

But when you already have a social network where people have their own strengths and expertise, then that circle of trust is already established. So why not use these trust connections to influence the way search is done.

'What it is is better search through people, inviting everyone to act as curators of the web for anyone,' said Horowitz.