One of the reasons Google is so successful is that their search algorithm does a pretty good job at ranking sites and keeping out the spam.  However, if Google published the algorithm it would not only open the doors for competitors to copy their successful algorithm but also for spammers to reverse engineer it to make their spam sites rank at the top of the search results.

But German justice minister Heiko Maas wants Google to disclose their search algorithm in the name of transparency and consumer protection.

It comes from an interview Maas did with the Financial Times regarding the power Google has within the EU, while the interview is lengthy and worth the read, here is what pertains to the algorithm itself.

Q: Mathias Döpfner, chief executive of Axel Springer, has spoken of “fear of Google” – do you understand this fear?

We should not be afraid of Google, but as a state we have certain responsibilities. We know that Google covers about 95% of the search engine market. That is an exceptional market share. And we know, because we all use the internet, that whoever isn’t at the top of the search results virtually doesn’t exist – if I may exaggerate ever so slightly. I therefore believe that Google’s power over consumers and market operators is extraordinary. We have to think about what precautions are in place so that this power is not abused. This is what Mr Döpfner is concerned about. I believe competition should develop freely. With a market share of 95 per cent, Google dominates the search engine world, and is able to rank its search results in a manner apt to promote its own business interests. And that is not acceptable. We must think about how to solve this problem.

Q: What are the practical steps?

A: In the end it relates to how transparent the algorithms are that Google uses to rank its search results. When a search engine has such an impact on economic development, this is an issue we have to address. We advocate consistent application and enforcement of antitrust legislation at the domestic and European levels. As far as the state’s role is concerned, the competition authorities are responsible for assessing whether a company has a dominant position in a certain market and whether it is abusing that position. The European Commission is currently engaged in this process as part of its ongoing antitrust proceedings against Google. Of course, consumer protection must play a decisive role in this evaluation. We have made this very clear to the European Commission on numerous occasions.

Google would obviously fight to keep their search algorithm private, for both spam and competitive reasons.  Their algorithm is in essence a trade secret, and Google could claim it would cause irreparable harm if their algorithm was to be made public.  And that also doesn’t take into account the hundreds of algorithm changes Google tests and releases every year, as the algorithm is constantly evolving based upon new spam techniques and what Google wants to weight as a ranking factor.