Search Concentration, Bias, and Parochialism: A Comparative Study of Google, Baidu and Jike's Search Results from China

Jiang, M. (2014). Search concentration, bias, and parochialism: A comparative study of Baidu, Jike, and Google’s search results from China. Journal of Communication, 64(6), 1088-1110. DOI: 10.1111/jcom.12126

23 Pages Posted: 24 Sep 2013 Last revised: 13 Dec 2014

See all articles by Min Jiang

Min Jiang

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte

Date Written: September 20, 2013

Abstract

Do search engines tend to drive Web traffic to well-established sites leading to a high degree of search results concentration? Do search engines favor their own content while demoting others? How parochial or cosmopolitan are search engines in directing traffic to sites beyond a user’s national borders? This study explores these issues by empirically comparing search results of Baidu, Google and Jike from mainland China obtained in August 2011 and August 2012. It finds that search engines in China, particularly Baidu, tend to drive traffic to well-established sites. Baidu’s results also raise serious doubts over its impartiality. Rather than making users’ search experiences more cosmopolitan, tuned to the larger world around them, search engines rarely direct Chinese users to content beyond national borders.

Keywords: Search engine, Baidu, Google, Jike, China, concentration, bias, parochialism

Suggested Citation

Jiang, Min, Search Concentration, Bias, and Parochialism: A Comparative Study of Google, Baidu and Jike's Search Results from China (September 20, 2013). Jiang, M. (2014). Search concentration, bias, and parochialism: A comparative study of Baidu, Jike, and Google’s search results from China. Journal of Communication, 64(6), 1088-1110. DOI: 10.1111/jcom.12126, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2329847 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2329847

Min Jiang (Contact Author)

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte ( email )

9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28223
United States

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