BBC World Service Radio Documentary - Inside the World of Google

In less than a decade,
Google has transformed itself from a Silicon valley start-up to one of the richest media companies in the world.
In 2005 alone it doubled in size and took in over $6 billion in revenue.

In this two-part series, Mike Embley investigates the culture,
influence and potential future impact of the world’s biggest search engine.

Part One: The Googleplex

Of all of the search engines shifting and trawling the internet,
why did Google become the biggest?

In the first programme in this series, Mike Embley gains special access to the Googleplex -
the company’s global headquarters in Mountain View, California,
and speaks to Google employees about the origins and ethos of the media giant.

What implications does Google’s rapid expansion have for the company and for its millions of users around the world?

Part Two: Google Vision

Privacy on the internet is an increasing concern for campaign groups who believe that Google,
and search engines like it, could be contributing to a surveillance society.
Google can trail and access our actions on the internet and detain them indefinitely.
Does this mean that what we click on online is no longer a snapshot of what we are interested in,
but evidence of our political inclinations, our health concerns, our love lives?

In the final part of this series, Mike Embley asks: is Google more than a search engine?

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