Tell HN: Google should drop Quora from search results

Article summary

The article discusses how Quora has become a walled garden, requiring users to create an account to access answers, which can be frustrating for those searching for information. This has led to a call for Google to drop Quora from its search results. The issue is compared to Experts Exchange, a site that was known for its restrictive access to content. The article suggests that Quora's model may be detrimental to the user experience.

Main themes

• Quora's walled garden
• search engine results
• user experience
• content accessibility
• SEO practices

What commenters say

• Google should not index content that is not freely accessible to all users, as it can lead to frustrating search experiences.
• Quora's requirement for users to create an account to access answers is seen as a hindrance to the free flow of information.
• Some argue that Google's main job is to rank results according to what other people find helpful, and that restricted sites should not be penalized.
• Others believe that Google should prioritize content that is freely available and not behind a paywall or login requirement.
• The issue of Quora's walled garden is compared to other sites, such as Experts Exchange and Pinterest, which have also been criticized for their restrictive access to content.
• Some commenters suggest that Google could implement features to allow users to select which sites they want to see results from, or to flag pages that require accounts or subscriptions.
• There is disagreement over whether Google should discriminate against content that is not freely available, with some arguing that it is Google's job to index all content, regardless of accessibility.