Google CEO explains how to break the ‘Amazon factor’

Over the years, I've been concerned about something I call the "Amazon factor" — the narrowing of knowledge and polarization of opinion as a result of computerized marketing.

You know, buy a book on Amazon and, the next time you visit, the site will keep telling you that those who bought that book also liked some similar books. Computer logic can keep serving you more of the same, limiting one's scope.

Last night I heard Google's CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt give encouraging and discouraging information on that front. He explained that the same computer programming that can point you to similar material can as easily point you to dissimilar material — synonyms or antonyms, makes no difference to the machine. Makes sense.

In fact, it's been done.

Schmidt said that personalization software that can "show me what I like" has been used to offer users "show me opposing views." The trouble is, as human nature tells us and the computer confirms, two-thirds of people will not look at the proffered opposing view. So the computer is an enabler for most, but maybe there is hope for a third of us.

He also confirmed a statistic I'd suspected. He said that out on the vast Internet 80 percent of the so-called news stories contain no original content, and, of the 20 percent that do, half of those are produced by newspapers.

Schmidt was addressing the American Society of News Editors. For the record, I voted to keep the name American Society of Newspaper Editors, but I was out voted.

Google's CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt addresses the American Society of News Editors.