Now with Google instant one must ask how safe it is for our children. Granted we cannot stop them searching for certain terms. But the results should be somewhat protected. This applies to Adult entertainment as well as drug abuse websites as well as anarchy, terrorism and hate speech.

Are these terms to be banned from instant search? And if so how are they going to do it and what keeps other users from finding these results from not completing the word they are searching for. Sex is an obvious one, but what do you do with cocaine or heroin? A recent technology summit where this was discussed enlightened the public with the security measures that have been put in place to protect ourselves from unwanted searching.

Restrictions are there for only the children and it has been programmed that certain blacklisted keywords will only be searched when you click or hit enter. No instant results will be returned for specific blacklisted key. These keywords include “cocaine, lesbian, gay,” Now these are just a few examples, the full list be fill with terms and probably grow depending on search results and effects it has. This is Google which is a giant experiment in social studies so we are continually learning about ourselves and what gets the internet user searching, where we click and what to expect when it comes through.

This is a fascinating new tool that hasn’t hit South Africa yet but after a few more teething episodes in different countries we will be getting used to the effects of instant, the good, the bad and the Googled.