Positive Effects of Google

Google's success has put information at the Internet user's fingertips in a way never before seen. While Google wasn't the first Web search engine available, it was revolutionary in its design, offering a simple and uncluttered interface designed to help users do what they came for: search for information. Constant updates to the company's search algorithm have also helped make information accessible, with Google estimated to make around 500 tweaks a year to the results it provides.

Google pumps a sizeable portion of its huge profits into research and development, with its teams working on technologies that could have many long-term benefits. As of publication, one of the most high-profile of these is Google Glass, a wearable computer mounted to a pair of glasses that can respond to whatever the wearer looks at. Google has also conducted research into driverless cars, developing vehicles that do not need human interaction to move from place to place.

Advertising through Google's search results allows companies to produce highly targeted advertising campaigns, benefiting both businesses and consumers. Small businesses in particular benefit from Google's AdWords service, as search-based results allow them to target only the people who have expressed an interest in a given product. As a result, consumers are far more likely to see advertisements that are relevant to their needs, rather than being bombarded with ads they have no interest in.

The company runs the Google Giving scheme, a wide-ranging charity program that aims to provide financial support, technology and volunteer time to social and environmental projects. The scheme includes the Global Impact Awards, which provide funding for organizations that display an innovative use of technology to perform charitable work. It also includes Google Grants, which provides grants for nonprofit organizations to purchase advertising space on the company's AdWords platform. This in turn helps to raise the profile of those organizations.