this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2023
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Technology

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How Google Alters Search Queries to Get at Your Wallet - WIRED (www.wired.com)
submitted 1 year ago by ijeff@lemdro.id to c/technology@beehaw.org
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cross-posted from !google@lemdro.id

  • 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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[–] astraeus@programming.dev 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Google is like a big hairy troll living under the bridge, the internet. Everyone thought the troll was kind of nice, even if it was a big hairy troll, because it usually let people cross the bridge for free. This court case is dragging out all the dead bodies and displaying them for the villagers to see.

[–] acastcandream@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

What we didn't see was it pickpocketing us every time we crossed.