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> Google can and should modify their algorithms until the site that users actually want is first. Why? Google is an ad company, that has integrated search. W

> Google can and should modify their algorithms until the site that users actually want is first. Why? Google is an ad company, that has integrated search. Why would they cut their own bottom line in order to make data happy? You aren’t their customer. You are Google’s data. Google’s customers buy your data. Why would they change anything about their business model, which works amazingly well?

criddell 3y ago
> Google’s customers buy your data AFAIK, Google doesn’t sell user data.
- imchillyb 3y ago
  > https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/google-says-it-doesnt-sell-your-data-heres-how-company-shares-monetizes-and https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/google-says-it-doesnt-...
mint2 3y ago
Because not paying attention to the quality of the product means google is A-okay with the normal brand arc and is on the part where the brand cuts quality to boost profits while coasting on name recognition- I.e the enshittification phase. They can coast for an indeterminate amount of time, but with the risk that eventually the consumer will be fed up and stop using them, especially if a decent alternative pops up.
- imchillyb 3y ago
  Decent alternatives have been bandied about here for over a decade. Guess what? There are none. Google’s business model is selling user data to the highest bidder. Google’s other business model is selling opportunity to collect data on people. You as a search user are not a customer, but a data point. There is literally no incentive for this to change. Desiring an ad company to not show ads is a ridiculous desire.
  - mint2 3y ago
    That’s not quite right - users are customers paying for a service, search, in exchange for a payment, I.e. their time and eyeballs. At the same time google coordinates with their other customer and swaps the time and eyeballs for money. But users are definitely a customer paying with time in return for search results. If the product becomes too obnoxious, people don’t even need an alternative to quit. It’s happened with other products. Not everyone will quit, but the customer base will shrink.
    - imchillyb 3y ago
      Google owns chrome, and chromium. Google’s data gathering isn’t just search. Anyone not using Firefox, and even those who are using Firefox, is gifting Google data. That data is worth more than search results or search data. Google knows where you browse. Google knows how many clicks, scrolls, and keys pressed. Google knows what your email contents and preferences. Search is a tiny portion of Google’s data collection behemoth and whether users quit Google search for bingo search doesn’t matter much to them.
fauigerzigerk 3y ago
Their business model depends on users finding their search results useful. I think Google’s business is far more fragile than it looks. That’s why they’re doing all the things that are now in the crosshairs of regulators.

criddell 3y ago

> Google’s customers buy your data AFAIK, Google doesn’t sell user data.

imchillyb 3y ago
> https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/google-says-it-doesnt-sell-your-data-heres-how-company-shares-monetizes-and https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/google-says-it-doesnt-...

mint2 3y ago

Because not paying attention to the quality of the product means google is A-okay with the normal brand arc and is on the part where the brand cuts quality to boost profits while coasting on name recognition- I.e the enshittification phase. They can coast for an indeterminate amount of time, but with the risk that eventually the consumer will be fed up and stop using them, especially if a decent alternative pops up.

imchillyb 3y ago
Decent alternatives have been bandied about here for over a decade. Guess what? There are none. Google’s business model is selling user data to the highest bidder. Google’s other business model is selling opportunity to collect data on people. You as a search user are not a customer, but a data point. There is literally no incentive for this to change. Desiring an ad company to not show ads is a ridiculous desire.
- mint2 3y ago
  That’s not quite right - users are customers paying for a service, search, in exchange for a payment, I.e. their time and eyeballs. At the same time google coordinates with their other customer and swaps the time and eyeballs for money. But users are definitely a customer paying with time in return for search results. If the product becomes too obnoxious, people don’t even need an alternative to quit. It’s happened with other products. Not everyone will quit, but the customer base will shrink.
  - imchillyb 3y ago
    Google owns chrome, and chromium. Google’s data gathering isn’t just search. Anyone not using Firefox, and even those who are using Firefox, is gifting Google data. That data is worth more than search results or search data. Google knows where you browse. Google knows how many clicks, scrolls, and keys pressed. Google knows what your email contents and preferences. Search is a tiny portion of Google’s data collection behemoth and whether users quit Google search for bingo search doesn’t matter much to them.

fauigerzigerk 3y ago

Their business model depends on users finding their search results useful. I think Google’s business is far more fragile than it looks. That’s why they’re doing all the things that are now in the crosshairs of regulators.