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Google is not a search engine, but an ad engine (twitter.com)

545 points by jlelse · 2494 days ago · 285 comments on HN

Article summary

The article discusses how Google's search engine has become more focused on advertising, with search results often being dominated by ads. This is seen as a negative development, with some arguing that it makes the search engine less useful for users. The author suggests that Google's monopoly on search has allowed it to prioritize ads over user experience. The article also touches on the idea that alternative search engines, such as DuckDuckGo, may be becoming more viable options.

Main themes

  • Google's ad dominance
  • Search engine alternatives
  • Monopoly and user experience
  • Advertising vs. organic results
  • Search engine quality

What commenters say

  • Google's prioritization of ads over user experience is a result of its monopoly on search.
  • Breaking up Google would not necessarily solve the problem of ad-dominated search results.
  • Alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo are improving and may become viable options for users dissatisfied with Google.
  • The quality of Google's search results has decreased due to the increasing presence of ads.
  • Some users have switched to alternative search engines and found them to be sufficient or even better than Google.
  • The idea of breaking up Google is not a viable solution to the problem of ad-dominated search results, and instead users should explore alternative search engines.
  • Google's use of search data to inform its advertising business is a conflict of interest that harms users.
  • The dominance of ads in search results is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the ads are relevant and useful to the user.