Reimagining web search as a public good

Digital markets are currently dominated by a few large technology companies, most of them based in the US. Smaller companies, as well as we - as end users - are already quite dependent on their services, to the extent that many people are concerned about the digital sovereignty of nations, specifically in the EU, and the negative effects of this monopolistic situation on equality. The debate about how to preserve privacy and copyright on the Internet shows that transferring our European democratic civil rights from the physical into the digital sphere cannot be taken for granted.

A free navigation and orientation in the web is currently not a given. Imagine someone giving you a map of a city you don't know, showing you only the streets where the shops are, or worse, the streets you have to pay a fee for using them. That’s actually the current situation in the digital sphere. Because our web search is offered by commercial players for profit purposes they base on algorithms, that are not transparent to us. This interferes with our right of free movement that is enabled in the physical environment.

Our existing web search infrastructure does not allow free information access and creates inequalities. It comes with a commercially driven lens. A prominent and well-known example of this is when you search for "Jaguar", the car, not the animal, appears at the top of the list. Above it fosters market inequalities. It privileges those marketers who have paid to be displayed in a pool position in the search rankings, to the detriment of smaller marketers who cannot afford it, that simply get not seen. As a result, our access to information is distorted - we don't know why we're being shown what we're being shown and, more importantly, what we're not being shown.

Reimagining web search as a public good is one idea to preserve democratic rights in the internet.

The Open Search Foundation is among others one of the initiatives under the umbrella of EU sponsorship that try to think about a free open web search infrastructure as a public good, with a mission to help advance the technical, legal and socitetal conditions and consequences of such an EU open web search infrastructure.

Now we can show that this idea offers economic benefits as well. A recent study initiated by OSF together with partners, and conducted by OpenWebSearch.eu explores the potential impact of establishing a European Open Web Index (OWI), an initiative that aims to create an open, accessible, and European-focused search engine alternative, with significant support from the European Union. The study highlights the project’s macroeconomic and societal benefits and how it could positively reshape European digital sovereignty and market competition. The summary of the study results in a nutshell:

• The economic impact. The key insight from the study is that the OWI has the potential to return over €4.5 billion in net benefits within a decade, with a return on investment expected by the fourth year. This includes both direct economic benefits, such as cost savings for businesses using the open infrastructure, and indirect benefits from fostering innovation, improving competitiveness, and supporting digital autonomy across Europe. Unlike the current search market, where a few global players dominate with a central model, the OWI would decentralize control over search, allowing businesses, startups, and governments to build customized search applications on an independent, open index.
• The societal impact. It would empower Europe to better uphold privacy standards and human rights aligned with GDPR (general data protection regulation), reduce dependency on non-European platforms, and support a diverse array of cultural and linguistic needs often underserved by major search engines. It could stimulate innovation, particularly within small businesses and startups, by providing accessible infrastructure and promoting open-source development.

• The impact for us all and our civil democratic rights: In terms of democracy and public access, the OWI would democratize information access, enhancing transparency, and offering citizens choices in how they find information online.
  
  
  
  

It could be a huge step towards more equal, sustainable and fair digital markets. In my eyes the value of rethinking an open search infrastructure as public good goes far beyond building a EU based search engine alternative. For me it's about reimagining our web infrastructure in a way that allows to realize and preserve the fundamental democratic right of information access and mobility in the digital age. Rethinking it as a public good, in a decentralised governance, is in my view an important experiment to build digital markets that preserve and strenghten - and not erode - the civil democratic rights fought for by our ancestors.

Together, we can help cultivate a balanced, open and democratic internet ecosystem across Europe and ensure fair competition for generations to come - that's the mission of OSF and all other web search initiatives, which of course everyone can help support - whether it's raising awareness of where our democratic civil rights are being violated in the digital sphere, or supporting our digital sovereignty by using European digital tools, or advocating for public investment in open digital infrastructure. If you are interested in learning more, follow OSF on LinkedIn or contact them over their webpage OSF.