How Google Alters Search Queries to Get at Your Wallet
www.wired.com
Testimony during Google’s antitrust case revealed that the company may be altering billions of queries a day to generate results that will get you to buy more stuff.

cross-posted from [email protected]

  • Google may be altering billions of search queries daily to generate results that increase purchases.
  • Testimony in an antitrust case revealed an internal Google slide about changes to its search algorithm, involving “semantic matching” to generate more commercial results.
  • Google covertly changes user queries, substituting them with ones that generate more revenue for the company and display shopping-oriented results.
  • This manipulation benefits Google’s profits but harms search quality and raises advertiser costs.
  • Despite legal challenges, Google’s market dominance allows it to continue these practices, impacting users’ ability to access unbiased information.
  • dan@upvote.auEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    I would have agreed in the past, but they have an unlimited plan for $10/month now, which is why I’m more interested.

    • blindsight@beehaw.org
      4·
      1 year ago

      I get that search is expensive to run, but $120 USD/yr is a lot.

      Maybe it’s worth cancelling something to pay for it, but idk. I won’t even look at metered tiers. Knowing my scarcity aversion, I’d never use it. I didn’t use a single Neeva trial search since I was hoarding them like Max Ethers from Final Fantasy.

      • dan@upvote.au
        2·
        1 year ago

        Yeah. It’s definitely expensive, which is why I haven’t signed up for a subscription yet. Still thinking about it.