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How Google Alters Search Queries to Get at Your Wallet - WIRED (www.wired.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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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.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Do people still use Google search? Maybe I don't get out much, but idk anyone that uses Google search.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What do folks in your circle use? I'm the only person I know IRL who sometimes doesn't use Google.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I mainly use Searx, MetaGer, and DDG. Most of the people I know are not fans of Google. I'm a little more privacy conscious than most of my friends, though. Most of them have FB and IG accounts. I don't post anything on social media unless it's as anonymous as it can be.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do people still use Google search?

Google literally has more than 90% ofthre global marketshare https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That site won't open. How are they measuring the usage, since the privacy conscious search engines don't track people?