Google Manipulates Search Results, According to Study From Yelp and Legal Star Tim Wu

[onehandle]

Source: ReCode

Google knowingly manipulates search results according to a research paper published Monday from several academics. The study presents evidence that the search giant sets out to hamper competitors and limit consumers’ options. The paper lands as Google prepares to release its response to the European Union investigation, which rests on similar claims about Google’s comparison-shopping product.

The paper was authored by Tim Wu, the legal scholar and former FTC adviser, which is notable as he had previously penned a column in the New Republic saying that Google had successfully cleared a Federal Trade Commission investigation into search bias on its own merits, and not because of its lobbying prowess.

Now, two years later, Wu is making an about-face.

“When the facts change, your thinking should change,” Wu told Re/code about the evolution of his stance. “The main surprising and shocking realization is that Google is not presenting its best product. In fact, it’s presenting a version of the product that’s degraded and intentionally worse for consumers.” He added: “This is the closest I’ve seen Google come to [being] the Microsoft case.”

Read more: http://recode.net/2015/06/29/yelp-teams-with-legal-star-tim-wu-to-trounce-google-in-new-study

[RufusTFirefly]

1. K & R, especially for Tim Wu, who should be New York's Lieutenant Governor n/t

[BlueJazz]

2. After reading the entire article, Google is no longer my main search engine results.

[snort]

3. Not its best product.

No shit. Since I can no longer search using 'discussion' as a filter, I'm guessing 'cuz that doesn't lead to websites where you can BUY! BUY! BUY!, google is nearly useless to me.

[a kennedy]

4. That's why I only use "Duck Duck Go" as my search engine. eom

[7962]

10. I learned about them from DU. May have been you!! nt

[a kennedy]

21. Have mentioned every time I could.

[LiberalEsto]

20. Ditto

Was recommended by someone on DU

[rocktivity]

5. Candidate for this year's "You Call This NEWS?" Award

The "To Figure This Out, You Had To Do A Freaking STUDY???" Category.


rocktivity

[GeorgeGist]

8. You prefer science by anecdote?

[cosmicone]

6. I usually just glance through page 1 of the search

and start on page 2 on .. that is where the real search results are found.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, onehandle.

[7962]

9. Is anyone really surprised by this news? I'm not

Through DU I learned about duck duck go. No tracking

[SoLeftIAmRight]

11. no study needed to know that

RIP google

[Saviolo]

12. I also don't trust Yelp.

My husband opened a restaurant, and Yelp pesters him constantly to purchase advertising, which he can't afford yet (still a new business, still building that client base!)

Yelp has a system of "Preferred Reviews" and reviews that are not recommended by Yelp, usually from people with no people listed as friends, and only one or two reviews in total. What he found however, is that many businesses are complaining that if they don't go for Yelp's advertising, or do go for it, and then stop, their "preferred reviews" are suddenly lacking some of the better reviews that were there previously. They make a big deal on the site about businesses "not being able to pay to remove reviews." However, if you don't pay, some of those good reviews are suddenly "non-preferred" and do not contribute to your average score.

[d_legendary1]

13. Never liked Yelp

Some of my favorite places have been trashed by some reviewers who had a bad time with a waiter instead of the place overall. I consider it the "For a good time call" of restaurant critiques.

[rocktivity]

14. I typed in the name of my two-year-old blog and the subject of an article.

Based on the first one hundred the search results:

Go Duck Go: #1

Yahoo: #1

Bing: 0

Google: 0


rocktivity

[Orrex]

15. For me, it's Netscape and Infoseek or nothing.

And I'll be totally ready for this Y2K thing.

[JonLP24]

16. Probably

but I know what propaganda looks like--especially in cases I know the real story or the way they sell the story but in any case I keep digging for the truth.

[passiveporcupine]

17. I've been pretty frustrated with Google's product searches lately

And I think they are somehow connected to Amazon...they just love showing you Amazon finds.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

18. Comparing Google to Microsoft?

[nradisic]

19. Duck Duck Go...forget about Google

way to go Tim Wu!

[winter is coming]

22. Hmm... let me google "Is water wet?" n/t

[cascadiance]

23. I've long been suspicious of how Google search results are manipulated...

... as noted in this post back from the beginning of 2006.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x39220

[YOHABLO]

24. I try not to consume much.