3 ms·

> Isn't there also a big conflict of interest between Google "the search engine of the world and indexer of all information" and Google "seller of ads"? The bi

> Isn't there also a big conflict of interest between Google "the search engine of the world and indexer of all information" and Google "seller of ads"? The biggest conflict, nobody seems interested in fixing: That Google has a strong disinterest in getting you to click on search results, when they could get you to click on ads. It's why since Google's inception, ads have become less and less distinguishable from search results, to the point that ordinary users aren't able to tell the difference anymore. I get multiple reports per week of malware and scams that can be traced directly back to "I hit search instead of typing the URL, and clicked the first link". Google should be forbidden from inlining advertisements with search results, and required to make them vastly more distinct. Ironically, two academics very concerned about this conflict of interest when they wrote a study about search engines were Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Amazing what billions of dollars will do to your ethical standards.

srtjstjsj 6y ago
If Google promotes ads over organics, then users can stop using Google search, no? But people seem to like Google Search.
- ocdtrekkie 6y ago
  Users often don't understand what's happening. For instance, many times the ad that pretends to be the top result, is one the brand had to pay for to avoid squatting. People who get scammed or get malware from Google Ads don't realize a Google Ad was involved. They think they got "hacked" or did something wrong. Sure, there are those of us who know better, but they aren't the oblivious majority that is where Google's income comes from.
arh68 6y ago
Indeed. I think, increasingly, Google does not want people going straight to results. I can't find the quote but I thought their original intent was to get people off the search results page (and to their "real" destination), but I think that's a position they've largely retreated from. That and "we label it clearly".

srtjstjsj 6y ago

If Google promotes ads over organics, then users can stop using Google search, no? But people seem to like Google Search.

ocdtrekkie 6y ago
Users often don't understand what's happening. For instance, many times the ad that pretends to be the top result, is one the brand had to pay for to avoid squatting. People who get scammed or get malware from Google Ads don't realize a Google Ad was involved. They think they got "hacked" or did something wrong. Sure, there are those of us who know better, but they aren't the oblivious majority that is where Google's income comes from.

arh68 6y ago

Indeed. I think, increasingly, Google does not want people going straight to results. I can't find the quote but I thought their original intent was to get people off the search results page (and to their "real" destination), but I think that's a position they've largely retreated from. That and "we label it clearly".