Comment on How Google Alters Search Queries to Get at Your Wallet
billiam0202@lemmy.world 8 months ago
I’ve said (and read) it before: the concept of a great search engine is exactly at odds with advertising. A good search engine gives accurate results fast, while the purpose of advertising is to show users what advertisers pay to show them. In other words, it’s the difference between showing users what they want to see, versus showing users what advertisers want them to see.
Google knows that the more irrelevant results it returns, the longer you spend looking, which translates into more opportunities to show ads.
Google knows that the more irrelevant results it returns, the longer you spend looking, which translates into more opportunities to show ads.
Which is ironic, as Google only managed to get as far as they did by doing the exact opposite in an era where Alta Vista and the small handful of other OG search engines were focused on maximizing revenue via ads.
Google has become that which they sought to destroy.
If its free you are the product.
And if you pay for it, you’re still the product…. Because it’s 2023 and fuck the consumers.
bernieecclestoned@sh.itjust.works 8 months ago
I’ve just done the same search as in the article on Chrome, Firefox and DuckDuckGo
Google served 5 ads before showing me M&S’ website
DDG showed me an ad for Temu then M&S’ website
Firefox showed me no ad, thanks ublock, and straight to M&S’ website
🤷♂️
tb_@lemmy.world 8 months ago
Firefox isn’t a search engine, though?
bernieecclestoned@sh.itjust.works 8 months ago
Good point
Very_Bad_Janet@kbin.social 8 months ago
What search engine were you using on FF?