Post AaZ2cHeRG16cSSxLFY by johncarlosbaez@mathstodon.xyz
(DIR) More posts by johncarlosbaez@mathstodon.xyz
(DIR) Post #AaZ2cFloFdoUckOCSe by johncarlosbaez@mathstodon.xyz
2023-10-04T20:48:37Z
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NOTE: I quoted a report from an executive of DuckDuckGo attending the antitrust lawsuit against Google. This article has now been retracted from Wired:"After careful review of the op-ed, "How Google Alters Search Queries to Get at Your Wallet," and relevant material provided to us following its publication, WIRED editorial leadership has determined that the story does not meet our editorial standards. It has been removed."I hope we'll learn more about what Google actually does, since September 28, the court established a process allowing the Justice Department to publish more information about this case.https://www.wired.com/story/google-antitrust-lawsuit-search-results/
(DIR) Post #AaZ2cGhwlUJlX3ad4y by jesusmargar@mastodon.social
2023-10-04T21:09:57Z
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@johncarlosbaez is this true?
(DIR) Post #AaZ2cHeRG16cSSxLFY by johncarlosbaez@mathstodon.xyz
2023-10-04T21:44:00Z
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@jesusmargar - you can read the article and evaluate it yourself. Luckily a lot of materal about Google is becoming public through the antitrust lawsuit, so we will probably know more about their business practices as time goes on."The unprecedented level of secrecy has left consumers, legal experts and advocacy groups frustrated, as only bits and pieces of the case have been accessible to the public. A particularly prominent witness, John Giannandrea, an Apple executive who previously helmed Google’s search business, testified for only 10 minutes publicly; the remainder of his hours-long testimony occurred in a closed-door session.However, as backlash surrounding the case’s secrecy grows, the courtroom is becoming increasingly transparent. On September 28, the court established a process allowing the Justice Department to publish trial exhibits and demonstratives used during open court testimonies. And on Monday, Microsoft’s chief executive officer Satya Nadella was allowed to testify publicly for more than three hours.“Information is slowly getting out to the public,” says Jeffrey May, manager of content management at the US legal and regulatory branch of information services firm Wolters Kluwer."https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/10/03/what-we-ve-learned-so-far-google-s-landmark-antitrust-trial
(DIR) Post #AaZ2cIRMK8EmuBqPVA by jesusmargar@mastodon.social
2023-10-04T22:06:15Z
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@johncarlosbaez if true, it is frightening but it seems that the article in the drum (I read quite quickly as it is late and I need to grade) does not suggest that what Megan Gray says is true, nor does she claim this has been brought up in the lawsuit. I am surprised that Wired published it in such terms. In the UK this would make the publication liable to a defamation suit.
(DIR) Post #AaZ2cJH7DhdbUi3kAq by jesusmargar@mastodon.social
2023-10-04T22:07:10Z
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@johncarlosbaez don't get me wrong, maybe it is true but it is the first time i hear it and I don't seem to find more sources supporting this.
(DIR) Post #AaZ2cK8I20Ak9cwD3Y by NathanHarvey@kolektiva.social
2023-10-04T23:46:27Z
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@jesusmargar @johncarlosbaez I think this is a widely discussed feature Google has been pretty open about, but the tone of the Wired article is affected by it maybe being the authors first awareness of it. You can find plenty of articles on Google’s semantic search updates to SERP and how marketing can use it. Although I am pretty sure their implementation is not directly a substitution as described, that’s probably a fine, workable mental model on what to expect. I think it’s clear it was a feature intended to increase revenue, and it changes the results of the search towards that end.