Yahoo Patents Human Edited Search Results

Yahoo has just received a U.S. patent for “Method and apparatus for search ranking human input and automated ranking.”

Yahoo applied for this patent in 2002.

This means that if they decide to implement this, they will calculate rankings based on a combination of automated search algorithms and human editor input.  Some say that will lead to better search results.
I wonder how much personal preference of the editor will play into things.  It’s interesting when we step away from a computer algorithm and introduce human intervention.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying it’s all bad.  I’m just saying there is room for human error when humans are involved.  Either way it will be interesting.

There are definitely some pros – as Yahoo points out below.

“Ranking by human editors reviewing search results provides more relevant ranking than automated processes and even search users, because human editors possess better intelligence than the best software and more clearly understand distinctions in pages, and human editors focus on areas of their expertise. For example, a human editor would more easily spot a page that is irrelevant but contains terms designed to get a high ranking from an automated process.”

Check out the patent details:

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