Screenshots: Vicious keyword search on NST Online

Several Screenshots readers pointed me to the Eurekster.com-like search engine that NST Online now employs.

Using this type of search algorithm, the frequently searched keywords will appear in bigger font, sometimes bolder, than the less-searched ones. The search engine, being technology, presents the readers' bias and search tendencies automatically, and innocently.

But the implication that appears on NST is, hilariously, quite disastrous.

Read the detached words in bold, large fonts together and a pattern thus forms.

Here's the evidence preserved in PDF. Some readers cried foul, invoking conspiracy theories because human interests can manipulate technology by setting the search algorithm to suit prescribed agenda.

If you click on the keyword Siti Nurhaliza -- which appears in bold, large font on NST Online's search cloud -- it returns only ONE search result.

Even a computer idiot would tell you that ONE returned search result, in regular keyword search methodology, doesn't denote a popular search criteria.

In contrast, a relatively 'boring' word like environment returns 25 search results, but it appears in small print.

Dubious, isn't it?

Of all papers, why has it got to appear on a professed hate-Mahathir paper?

Comments

The coincidence of keywords appearing in a grammatically-correct and "meaningful" sequence is rare. Further, it can be rigged to introduce other keywords in between.

Perhaps the web designer of NST is a fan of 43 Things (http://www.43things.com/).

To me, it doesn't add much value - NST should do away with tag clouds.

NST's search feature isn't that great. Only 1 result for "Siti Nurhaliza"; clicking for more just returned nothing.

Better use google's "site:nst.com.my keyword" and one is luckier.

Posted by: balow | September 22, 2006 08:03 PM

Honestly, I believe the search engine. Don't you think all of the keyword closely resemble the majority "interest"?

Posted by: moo_t | September 22, 2006 08:16 PM

i'm confused here, how is one set the less searched keyword to bold - is it because someone i.e webmaster deliberate manipulate it

Posted by: melurian | September 22, 2006 08:46 PM

i'm confused here, how is one set the less search keyword to bold - is it because someone i.e webmaster deliberate manipulate it

Alamak Jeff... not every bayang got hantu behind it wan lah...

The search engine display is for the most POPULAR search terms mah, so even though there was only ONE search result, "siti nurhaliza" was a popular search term for those who used NST's search engine, so it was displayed big-big lor.

And though "environment" returns 25 search results, the number of results did not reflect how many users searched for that term, so it was not as popular, and hence was displayed in small font.

Posted by: Leithaisor | September 22, 2006 09:14 PM

And I just saw a related posting on Rocky Bru's blog plus two comments.

Both Rocky and the two who posted comments seem to think some hantu in NST was out to purposely do something nasty.

Ease up a bit lah.

Posted by: Leithaisor | September 22, 2006 09:20 PM

maybe it is some code word meant for mahathir that if he stops, he may get a siti nurhaliza look alike?

Posted by: sydput | September 22, 2006 09:51 PM

To be fair, Siti does seem to be a popular search term even on Google if you check their reports

Posted by: James | September 22, 2006 09:59 PM

... but it does look like it's easily manipulated... Come on everybody! Lets all work together and keep searching for "Read The Star" hehehe

Posted by: James | September 22, 2006 10:06 PM

This time the spin doctors will be caught be their own actions...

If you look properly at the popular search list, the name AAB does not appear at all, even in extra-mini font. But Mahathir's name appear in the biggest font.

What does that tells us?

MORE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOUT MAHATHIR THAN AAB!!!!!

I think the plan backfired!

Posted by: PenangWang | September 22, 2006 10:06 PM

Halo.. please la..

It's obviously a handwritten html.. not the so called high tech "search algorithm".. the algo may exist.. i confidence it's not in this case.

If really can be so co-incidentally, the author can kena 4D..

I'm really sad to see this.

NST, the prime news paper in Malaysia.. Publish this..

It make me shame.

Posted by: aviva1957 | September 22, 2006 10:16 PM

LOL!

Apparently, it's hardcoded at the backend, do they have to stoop so low to demonise the old man?

An embarassment to IT industry!

Posted by: skthew | September 23, 2006 12:02 AM

It's no conspiracy. Simply put, it's not been hard-coded. Any webmaster can tell you that you can't expect the "search algorithm" to show up in an HTML page. The "search algorithm" is supposed to produce an HTML page indistinguishable from one produced by humans. Barring any real proof of intentional manipulation, I'd say all signs point to a plain coincidence.

Posted by: johnleemk | September 23, 2006 02:55 AM

went to the website just now...

now u see it, now u dont...

if it is co-incidental, why remove "siti"?

Posted by: PenangWang | September 23, 2006 04:37 AM

"Any webmaster can tell you that you can't expect the "search algorithm" to show up in an HTML page"

erm..beg to differ. Really it is nothing really a hassle to do such a thing.It is a simple thing to generate html from server-side scripts, which can be integrated into any pages.

I really do think that it is not NST's fault, its purely the number of searches that visitors put in, and nothing todo with the hits returned. I just have to agree with the explanation given in the latter post.

Posted by: mandelism | September 23, 2006 01:17 PM

I believe that it was not done on purpose. Just purely incidental.

Posted by: IImran | September 24, 2006 05:50 PM

INTERNET does not operate in a legal vacuum.
Read this before you post a comment in this blog!

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Vicious keyword search on NST Online

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