Can anyone elaborate on this? I don't quite get how the whole system could possibly be implemented. Also, it's been two years, are there any papers/projects related to the idea?
Namecoin, for example, achieves this by leveraging Bitcoin's historical journal (in a separate blockchain): https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Namecoin
The obvious hammer for this nail is just a radically transparent information system with accountability for public information an individual contributes to the public record.
Search algorithms are, largely, a commodity code now. Before you argue otherwise, the complexity and proprietary nature only arises when you try to show preference to less desirable content before other content information consumers desire. Ie - advertising
Even with advertising in the mix, it is trivial for a search company to append a query score with its query results. With a transparent query score and a transparent algorithm, the community has a trustworthy third-party between the content producer and consumer.
Transparency and that includes the information source!!!