As Google grows bigger and Microsoft looks to buy Yahoo one can wonder if it matters who owns the ability to search the Internet. We can access the Internet without searching it and searching does not influence the results, does it? The power and importance of the Internet is the ability to pull together information from anywhere and that is done with search.
If the owners of the search engines become fewer what is to stop them from deciding that sites need to pay to be on their site and not only for ad listing?
Other things to consider is that search engines don't only offer search services, they have access to all the information your search for on their site, and they currently are a significant safeguard in the openness of the Internet.
Consumers should be concerned by the prospect of the Internet being controlled by the biggest bidder even more than it is now. The moral of the story is that you need to find the search engine that you like. Maybe you like your news from Yahoo , your general search from Google and love the ability to ask questions of the Internet with Ask.com Next month I will write about how you can use alternatives to search engines to get even more form the Interment.
