That's true in principle, but in this case I think that the existence of search engines is a net social good and I think it would be a big loss for all of us if

That's true in principle, but in this case I think that the existence of search engines is a net social good and I think it would be a big loss for all of us if they disappeared. Not that the days of web rings and hand-curated website lists didn't have their own charm but I think that the net effect would be a huge increase in the power of walled gardens.