Google Search To Expand Links To Information From Virginia Agencies
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Virginia and Google will work together to loosen the governmental hold on information in the state's many databases, such as licensing records, consumer complaints and financial transactions. Google plans to make the announcement today.
Files from about 20 of the 95 state agencies are already available to Google's site-mapping technology, which allows search engines -- including those of such competitors as Yahoo and Microsoft -- to deliver more detailed results on the Web.
The technology makes it easier for people to stay abreast of state activities. For example, a record of checks written by the state is kept in a database that is not legally required to be protected but has not been available to the public on the Web. From now on, the search engines will be able to deliver links to the relevant sites.
"These are difficult databases to access," said Aneesh Chopra, the Virginia secretary of technology. "They don't have any of the search features and functionality you might find at Google."
Chopra said the top priority of the state's strategic plan for information technology, which was adopted last year, is increased access to government information.
In addition to providing more detailed search results, Google's technology also will link information found on each of the 95 agency Web sites.
Searching a Medicaid site now, for example, might yield information about a specific doctor, but users wouldn't see complaints lodged against the doctor that are listed on the Department of Health Professions site. With the new technology, Chopra said, that will change.
Google spokesman J.L. Needham said the company's research found that as many as 80 percent of people who visit government Web sites get there through search engines. It also found that most Web managers at government agencies focus primarily on Web site design and search within their specific sites.
Google is to announce similar partnerships with California, Arizona and Utah today.
-- Sam Diaz
