It's tempting to say that lately there has been a lot of controversy about Google's various business decision, but that wouldn't be entirely accurate. The reality is that Google has been soaked in controversy at least as long as they've been the biggest force in search. More recently, however, we've heard about Google getting stricter on supplementals, pushing personalized search on anyone with a Google account, and changing their webmaster guidelines with a slightly different wording that means that webmasters can be simply penalized instead of outright removed from Google Search results. All this has lead to a slew of discussion about Google's ethics. Since all debates over ethics tend to get sticky, I've decided to point out some basic facts about using Google to help us focus on the pertinent issues.

1. Google is a Business
Google is a business. Their raison d'etre is to make money. Therefore, all debates about the ethics of their policies should begin with whether they are profitable decisions.

2. Google is a Publicly Trade Firms
Google's primary responsibility is to its shareholders.

3. Google Users Are Not Customers
Google's secondary responsibility is to its advertisers. If they are unhappy, sooner or later, shareholders will probably be unhappy.

4. Google Trades in Information
Google can disseminate whatever information they choose to. The market will decide the value of that information.

5. Google's Information is in Demand
Google is currently the most popular search engine because of the information (see # 4) it provides. If the information that Google chooses disseminates is in demand, Google should continue to do; if there is not a demand for that information, they should change that information (see # 2).

6. Google is Not a Monopoly
If consumers want information that Google does not provide, they can search elsewhere. If there is a demand for search results (re information) is not available, competitors will enter the market and offer it. There is no guarantee that Google will be the most popular search engine forever.

7. Google Services are Free to Use
Even though there is no charge for using Google, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Google has to make its profits somehow (see # 1). Non-paying users are not in a position to demand anything. If advertisers (see # 3) continue to provide shareholders (see # 2) with profits, Google has behaved ethically (see # 1).

8. Google is Not a Necessary Service
Freedom of Information does not guarantee any specific medium. Just because Google is an incredibly powerful part of the internet, it is not a fundamental one. Similary, the internet is not a fundamental part of a market-democracy. Therefore, consumers can enjoy their fundamental right without Google or the internet.

Long story short, if you don't like what Google (or any other search engine) does with their search results, use your vote as a consumer and don't use Google. If for some reason, you can't avoid being logged into a Google account and using their search engine at the same time, then read Navneet Kaushal's Crucial Survival Tips for Google's New Personalized Search.