Matt Cutts, the administrator of the U.S. Digital Service and former head of the web spam team at Google, discusses his experience working at Google and his current role in the USDS. He highlights the challenges and successes of Google during its early days, including the dot-com crash and competition from Alta Vista. Cutts also talks about building self-service ads, the "evil unicorn problem" in search results, lawsuits around search, content moderation and spam, and his progression over 17 years at Google. He touches on the challenges of detecting deepfakes and the importance of data authenticity. Cutts then discusses the USDS, its role in improving government systems, and the need for technical expertise in the government. He also addresses the progress made in government technology, the importance of human-centered design, and the misconceptions about the internet. Cutts concludes by comparing the fun factor between working at Google and the USDS and discussing the desire for more mission and purpose in work.
Intro
- Matt Cutts is the administrator of the U.S. Digital Service and was previously the head of the web spam team at Google.
- He joined Google in 2000 as the 71st employee.
Working at Google in 2000
Working at Google in 2000 was characterized by a startup culture, late nights, and crazy hours. Projects like Safe Search were undertaken, with an informal process of project delegation. The company grew from a small group to entire departments, but its success was uncertain.
Did Google's success feel certain?
Google's success was not certain, as it faced challenges during its early days such as the dot-com crash and competition from Alta Vista. However, it overcame these obstacles and developed successful products like Adwords and Adsense.
- Google faced uncertainty and challenges during its early days
- The dot-com crash and competition from Alta Vista were major obstacles
- Google developed successful products like Adwords and Adsense
Building self-service ads
Building self-service ads at Google began with a prototype that dynamically served ads to users, but the click-through rate was low due to poor copy and user understanding. Despite this, Larry Page wanted to explore increasing click-through rates through further testing.
Key points:
- Discovery of a long tail of advertisers who wanted to reach specific audiences
- Reaching out to potential advertisers
- Success in finding niche keywords for better click-through rates
- Importance of finding untapped search areas for advertising, as seen with YouTube.
The evil unicorn problem
The evil unicorn problem refers to the challenge of providing relevant search results when there is a lack of high-quality information on a particular topic.
Key points:
- Search engines struggle to provide accurate results when there is limited reputable information available.
- The problem arises when search engines need to display a certain number of results, even if the information is not reliable.
- This highlights the need for search engines to balance accuracy with the requirement to show results.
Lawsuits around search
The lawsuits around search have resulted in significant legal rulings and debates. Some key points include:
- Google has faced lawsuits from individuals accused of spamming, with some cases resulting in court rulings.
- The search King lawsuit established that search results are protected by the First Amendment.
- The kinder start lawsuit argued against Google's right to adjust PageRank, but Google won the case.
- Google has attempted to give users the ability to adjust search results, but this feature was not widely used.
- Deep diving into search results, particularly on platforms like YouTube, is a concern.
- Google and YouTube are committed to providing high-quality and relevant search results.
Content moderation and spam
Content moderation and spam are discussed by Matt Cutts, who shares his experience with safe search and spam detection. He highlights the challenges faced by content moderators and the various tactics used to spam and cheat. Cutts emphasizes that once you've seen these tactics, it changes your perspective. However, he clarifies that this doesn't mean people are inherently evil. He also mentions the shift in approach towards search engine optimization (SEO) to focus on helping small businesses improve their websites. Clear guidelines and taking action against violators are important in working together with search engines for optimal results.
Matt's progression over 17 years at Google
Matt Cutts' 17-year journey at Google:
- Started as a coder and eventually became a manager
- Worked on Safe Search and in the ads group before focusing on quality
- Recognized the potential for spam on Google and faced resistance from others
- Started working on spam and later managed the web spam team
- Became less productive as an individual but enabled others to be more productive
- Focused on improving the quality of search results and collaborated with others to achieve this goal.
Deepfakes
Deepfakes, the creation of videos that falsely superimpose someone's picture onto another person, is a challenging problem.
Key points:
- Detecting deepfakes is difficult due to content manipulation, histogram changes, and added noise.
- Algorithms can catch some deepfakes, but synthesizing new content makes detection even harder.
- Google's approach involves using algorithms and manual spam detectors to combat deepfakes.
- Automation of the detection process is unlikely, so policies are needed to handle deepfakes.
- This issue is similar to the challenges of deplatforming and monetizing content.
Joining the USDS
The most profound aspect of joining the USDS is the opportunity to make a difference in government and improve government systems.
Key points:
- Matt Cutts joined the USDS after being inspired by colleagues who were making a difference in government.
- He initially filled in as an interim Acting Administrator to ensure continuity of the USDS.
- The USDS operates on a two to four year tour of duty model, bringing in individuals from the tech industry to improve government systems.
- Cutts mentions that about 10% of the USDS team has been there longer than him, highlighting the need for a continuous cycle of new talent.
- Cutts discusses his experience working at Google for 17 years.
What the USDS does
The US Digital Service (USDS) is a team of technologists that works within the government to improve and fix various systems. They provide expertise and best practices to ensure that government websites and services function properly. The USDS acts like a SWAT team, responding to system failures and working to get them back up and running. They also conduct discovery sprints to identify and address underlying issues. The USDS collaborates with different government agencies on projects that range from months to years in length. Many technologists who work with the USDS find it fulfilling and choose to stay in the public sector rather than returning to private industry.
Key points:
- USDS is a team of technologists working in government to improve systems
- They provide expertise and best practices for government websites and services
- USDS acts like a SWAT team, responding to system failures and fixing them
- They conduct discovery sprints to identify and address underlying issues
- USDS collaborates with different government agencies on projects of varying lengths
- Many technologists choose to stay in the public sector after working with USDS.
Working at the USDS
Working at the US Digital Service (USDS)
- The USDS is a team of engineers, designers, and product managers improving digital services in the federal government.
- The team consists of about 180 people with diverse backgrounds, including government and tech company experience.
- Onboarding process is quick and simple, with resume submission and technical/emotional intelligence interviews.
- The government salary is not as competitive as the private sector, but individuals choose to work for USDS.
- USDS aims to streamline the candidate experience and make it less bureaucratic.
- Educating government officials about technology and computers is a challenge.
Educating people in government about tech
The lack of technical expertise in government agencies and the need for technologists to join and make a difference is discussed. The importance of knowledgeable individuals who can evaluate technology products and contractors effectively is highlighted. A case where code submissions were used to assess the quality of contractors is mentioned, emphasizing the need for better procurement practices.
Creating a rapid feedback loop within government
Creating a rapid feedback loop within government is crucial for enabling positive changes and improving government processes. The US Digital Service emphasizes the importance of finding leverage points and collaborating with federal partners who are subject matter experts. Project managers play a key role in making things happen.
Michael Wang asks - How does USDS decide whether to outsource something to a private company, or build the software in house?
The US Digital Service (USDS) does not make the decision to outsource or build software in-house. The decision is made by the federal partner they work with. USDS may recommend off-the-shelf software or open-source solutions if they meet requirements. If a unique need arises, USDS will assist in finding a suitable contractor or help in the development process. The goal is to minimize work and costs while fulfilling specific requirements.
Spencer Clark asks - It would seem that the government is so far behind the private industry’s technology. To what extent is this true and what can be done about it? How should we gauge the progress of institutions like the USDS?
The government is often seen as lagging behind private industries in terms of technology, but there has been progress in recent years. Key points include:
- Bug bounties were only implemented by the federal government in 2016, despite being introduced in 1995.
- The government is now considering vulnerability disclosure policies and bug bounties.
- There is a push to move to the cloud and ensure security.
- The US Digital Service (USDS) and other groups are working to bridge the technology gap and accelerate progress in government technology.
- The primary measure of success for the USDS is the ability to work on impactful projects and make a difference.
Stephan Sturges asks - With GANs getting more and more powerful is the USDS thinking about the future of data authenticity?
The future of data authenticity in relation to the increasing power of GANs is discussed in the video. The USDS is not currently prioritizing this issue, as they primarily focus on implementing systems and processes rather than policy-making. Key points include:
- GANs can generate fake data, making it challenging to determine data authenticity.
- The USDS is more focused on improving existing processes and making them more efficient.
- Data authenticity is not a major concern for the USDS at the moment.
John Doherty asks - How difficult was it to communicate Google’s algorithm changes and evolving SEO best practices without leaking new spam tactics?
Communicating Google's algorithm changes and evolving SEO best practices without leaking new spam tactics was a challenge. Here are the key points:
- Google had to be careful about how they communicated information about blackhat tips and tricks.
- The goal was to guide website owners towards future trends like mobile sites and fast loading times.
- Overall, it wasn't a major issue, but caution was required in certain dimensions.
Vanman0254 asks - How can smart tech folks better contribute to regulatory and policy discussions in government?
The most profound aspect of the topic is how smart tech folks can better contribute to regulatory and policy discussions in government.
Key points:
- Tech professionals should actively participate in government meetings and offer their expertise to answer policy questions.
- Tech professionals should consider running for office to fill the lack of computer scientists in elected positions.
- Starting government tech startups or working as consultants can address issues and opportunities in the government sector.
Ronak Shah asks - What's your best pitch to high-performing startups in the Bay Area to adopt more of human centered design (something that the government has been moving towards surprisingly well, but that some fast moving startups have neglected resulting in controversy)
The pitch to high-performing startups in the Bay Area is to adopt more of a human-centered design. The government has been moving towards this approach surprisingly well, but some fast-moving startups have neglected it, resulting in controversy.
- Startups should prioritize user experience and design, as it can be a competitive advantage.
- Understanding user behavior and language is crucial for improving products and services.
- Being beloved and having goodwill is important for success, as negative public perception can impact market cap.
- Startups should not wait until facing congressional hearings to prioritize human-centered design.
Adam Hoffman asks - What are legislators, the government, and the general populace most “getting wrong” in how they conceptualize the internet?
- Legislators, the government, and the general populace have a flawed understanding of the internet.
- There are still misconceptions about the internet despite increased sophistication in conceptualization.
- The internet is a vast space with both good and bad actors.
- Laws and regulations for the internet should apply the same principles as offline activities.
- Avoid specifying specific technologies in laws as they can become outdated and hinder progress.
- Focus on the desired outcome without being tied to specific mechanisms.
Raphael Ferreira asks - Is it possible to live without google? How do you think google affected people in searching for answers and content, now that’s we find everything in just one click?
Google has revolutionized the way people search for answers and content, providing instant access to information with just one click. However, this convenience has also led to shorter attention spans and a constant need for stimulation. People are constantly seeking optimization in various aspects of their lives. The video discusses the impact of Google on our behavior and the need for balance in our digital usage.
Tim Woods asks - Which job was more fun and why?
The video compares the fun factor between working at Google and working at the US Digital Service. While Google offers perks and talented people, the US Digital Service is more meaningful and fulfilling. The speaker appreciates their time at Google but emphasizes the noble and dedicated nature of the US Digital Service. The two jobs are fundamentally different and cannot be compared solely based on fun.
Working in government vs private industry
Working in government versus private industry is a topic discussed in a YouTube video featuring Matt Cutts. Many people are looking for more mission and purpose in their work, and Cutts finds that a significant number of individuals express interest in working for the government at some point in their careers. The US Digital Service focuses on improving government services through technological solutions and encourages individuals with relevant skills to consider a short-term tour with the service. Key points include:
- People are seeking more mission and purpose in their work, especially in light of recent issues in the tech industry.
- Many individuals express interest in working for the government, despite financial constraints or other considerations.
- The US Digital Service implements simple technological solutions to improve government services.
- The service encourages individuals with relevant skills to contribute to increasing trust and efficiency in government through short-term tours.
Snehan Kekre asks - What is Matt's view of the ongoing debate about backdooring encryption for so called lawful interception?
Matt Cutts, a technologist and government employee, shares his view on the ongoing debate about backdooring encryption for lawful interception. He believes that having a backdoor in encryption creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by bad actors and criminals. However, as a government employee, he abides by policy decisions and participates in the policy-making process. He tries to convince people of his viewpoint but ultimately follows established policy.
- Matt Cutts, a technologist and government employee, shares his view on backdooring encryption for lawful interception.
- He believes that having a backdoor in encryption creates vulnerabilities for exploitation.
- As a government employee, he abides by policy decisions and participates in the policy-making process.
- He tries to convince people of his viewpoint but ultimately follows established policy.