Google has today announced the launch of a new site called Value of the Web, which will collect research from around the world that “sheds new light on the economic impact of the Internet.”
The site has launched with 19 studies, many covering the effect of the Internet in countries as diverse as Japan, Israel and Sweden. It also features more general studies on cloud computing and the impact of search. However not all the research is available in English; a study on the Internet in Denmark is only available in Danish.
Many of the papers currently uploaded are Google-commissioned studies by the Boston Consulting Group, such as the UK-focused Connected Kingdom report which we have previously covered. However, other work from the likes of Deloite features too.
Whether self-commissioned or not, sharing research around the broad benefits of the Internet fits with Google’s policy of encouraging more people to go online. After all, the more people that are online, the more can use Google services. This also manifests itself in schemes such as Internet education in India and getting businesses online in Kenya, the latter of which received bad publicity last week. Last year, the company opened a research institute in Berlin to study online innovation, and it seems logical that its research may well turn up on this new site in the future.
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While the Value of the Web site appears to have gone online lacking some fit and finish (partner logos are missing, as are two of the studies), it’s worth bookmarking in case you need some data fodder to back up a pro-Internet argument or pitch in the future.
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