guru Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 This isn't exactly a new allegation, but the idea's spreading fast: Google is tuning search results to favor itself, and perhaps that's not entirely fair. Though the European Union's already investigating Google for potential antitrust violations, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal cites several US businesses that aren't too happy themselves, claiming that Google Places, Product Search and the like took a big chomp out of their traffic. Google's defense, as usual, rests on its secret algorithms, which it claims aren't rigged in any way, adding that the prominent placement of location- and product-based search results are just a way to get users quicker answers to their queries. If you type in "day spa nyc," you're looking for some catered suggestions, right? And what of those who argue differently? Well, obviously they're in league with Microsoft. http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/14/google-under-fire-for-promoting-own-content-ahead-of-competing-w/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frylock86 Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 If you ask me, Google becomes less trustworthy by the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix XII Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Money and power corrupts. It was a matter of time with Google.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayepecks Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Don't be evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmeunit Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I always get better and more accurate search results through Google. I don't really care what they do if it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doli Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I always get better and more accurate search results through Google. I don't really care what they do if it works. Even if they kill puppies to run their search? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyF Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I don't get it. Google Places and Google Shopping just list products and services from other vendors. For example, if I go to Google Places and look up "Pizza in Chicago", it will show me pizzerias in Chicago. If I go to Google Shopping and look up "2010 Hess Truck", it will show me websites that sell 2010 Hess Trucks. Google doesn't own the pizzeria, and Google's not selling Hess Trucks, so unless I click a sponsored search result (which are distinctly separated from the regular results), they're not making any money off those searches. In fact, they're giving away free advertising to the pizzerias and Hess truck vendors. And that makes no sense to me - Google's not even remotely in those markets, they're not selling the products or services, and they're not making (or asking) money from either myself or the vendor. Exactly what part of that is anti-competitive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanderermy Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Running out of cash eh EU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Spork) Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I don't get it. Google Places and Google Shopping just list products and services from other vendors. For example, if I go to Google Places and look up "Pizza in Chicago", it will show me pizzerias in Chicago. If I go to Google Shopping and look up "2010 Hess Truck", it will show me websites that sell 2010 Hess Trucks. Google doesn't own the pizzeria, and Google's not selling Hess Trucks, so unless I click a sponsored search result (which are distinctly separated from the regular results), they're not making any money off those searches. In fact, they're giving away free advertising to the pizzerias and Hess truck vendors. And that makes no sense to me - Google's not even remotely in those markets, they're not selling the products or services, and they're not making (or asking) money from either myself or the vendor. Exactly what part of that is anti-competitive? dead on ! imho the EU is fishing for more money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 dead on ! imho the EU is fishing for more money I believe the point, though the articlemakes it badly, is that the paid/sponsored advertisements aren't being shown as often as they should, in favor of ads for Googles own services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmeunit Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Even if they kill puppies to run their search? Maybe not puppies, but kittens are OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyF Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 What's really funny is that I just went to google, typed in "search engine", and the first result? Bing. Followed by Dogpile, and then a Google-owned result was third. That is definitely not bias. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted December 16, 2010 Member Share Posted December 16, 2010 Search isn't an exact science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Veteran Posted December 16, 2010 Veteran Share Posted December 16, 2010 I personally don't see an issue with this, it's their service, they should be free to do what they will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I personally don't see an issue with this, it's their service, they should be free to do what they will. Not when they are selling a marketing service, the people who buy it should expect to get what they pay for fairly, not to have the ads they paid for prioritized below that of Google's self promotion links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Veteran Posted December 16, 2010 Veteran Share Posted December 16, 2010 Not when they are selling a marketing service, the people who buy it should expect to get what they pay for fairly, not to have the ads they paid for prioritized below that of Google's self promotion links. Google doesn't own day spas, so if they're promoting THEIR own services before people marketing, that's fair game. Self > paid > free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 So if I where to build a few automatic billboards and sell advertisements on it, it rotates through 3 different posters. I sell two of them and use one for my own thing, my own I show for 1 minute at a time, and the other two I show for some 5 seconds. fair ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Veteran Posted December 16, 2010 Veteran Share Posted December 16, 2010 So if I where to build a few automatic billboards and sell advertisements on it, it rotates through 3 different posters. I sell two of them and use one for my own thing, my own I show for 1 minute at a time, and the other two I show for some 5 seconds. fair ? 1 minute to 5 seconds is a HUGE differential. One link space to one or two more lower isn't that big, it's still visible and STILL more prominent than the free results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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