Google as a political subject : the right to be forgotten debate 2014-2016
(2018) In Online Information Review 42(6). p.768-783- Abstract
- Purpose
The aim of the study is to create knowledge on how Google and Google search are discursively constructed as a political subject suitable or not suitable for governing in the debate regarding the Right to be Forgotten ruling (RTBF).
Design/Methodology/Approach
28 texts are analysed using a Foucauldian discourse analysis focusing on political problematisations in the media and in blogs.
Findings
Google is conceptualised as a commercial company, a neutral facilitator of the world and as a judge of character. The discourse makes visible Google’s power over knowledge production. The individual being searched is constructed as a political object that is either guilty or innocent, invoking morality as a... (More) - Purpose
The aim of the study is to create knowledge on how Google and Google search are discursively constructed as a political subject suitable or not suitable for governing in the debate regarding the Right to be Forgotten ruling (RTBF).
Design/Methodology/Approach
28 texts are analysed using a Foucauldian discourse analysis focusing on political problematisations in the media and in blogs.
Findings
Google is conceptualised as a commercial company, a neutral facilitator of the world and as a judge of character. The discourse makes visible Google’s power over knowledge production. The individual being searched is constructed as a political object that is either guilty or innocent, invoking morality as a part of the policy. The ruling is framed as giving individuals power over companies, but the power still lies within Google’s technical framework.
Originality/value
The ruling opens up an empirical possibility to critically examine Google. The value of the study is the combination of focus on Google as a political subject and the individual being searched to understand how Google is constructed in the discourse. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/10474dac-87b6-4313-9589-88970f7ecf28
- author
- Lindsköld, Linnéa LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Online Information Review
- volume
- 42
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 768 - 783
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85053264343
- ISSN
- 1468-4527
- DOI
- 10.1108/OIR-06-2017-0198
- project
- Knowledge in a Digital World: Trust, Credibility and Relevance on the Web
- "No results found" - a discursive policy analysis of the Rigt to be Forgotten
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 10474dac-87b6-4313-9589-88970f7ecf28
- date added to LUP
- 2018-03-23 09:04:34
- date last changed
- 2024-01-14 17:17:27
@article{10474dac-87b6-4313-9589-88970f7ecf28,
abstract = {{Purpose<br/>The aim of the study is to create knowledge on how Google and Google search are discursively constructed as a political subject suitable or not suitable for governing in the debate regarding the Right to be Forgotten ruling (RTBF). <br/> <br/>Design/Methodology/Approach<br/>28 texts are analysed using a Foucauldian discourse analysis focusing on political problematisations in the media and in blogs. <br/> <br/>Findings<br/>Google is conceptualised as a commercial company, a neutral facilitator of the world and as a judge of character. The discourse makes visible Google’s power over knowledge production. The individual being searched is constructed as a political object that is either guilty or innocent, invoking morality as a part of the policy. The ruling is framed as giving individuals power over companies, but the power still lies within Google’s technical framework.<br/><br/>Originality/value<br/>The ruling opens up an empirical possibility to critically examine Google. The value of the study is the combination of focus on Google as a political subject and the individual being searched to understand how Google is constructed in the discourse.}},
author = {{Lindsköld, Linnéa}},
issn = {{1468-4527}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{768--783}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{Online Information Review}},
title = {{Google as a political subject : the right to be forgotten debate 2014-2016}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/52773766/Lindskold_pre_print.docx}},
doi = {{10.1108/OIR-06-2017-0198}},
volume = {{42}},
year = {{2018}},
}