The Google: A 20-Something with Digital Cancer?

July 9, 2022

I read a blog post called “Who Is Going To Replace Google For Us?” The write up, in my opinion, starts with the premise that Google is in big trouble. I like to think of the Google as struggling with digital cancer, not the fixable skin stuff but the not-so-slick pancreatic cancer.

The blog post states:

The primary search product no longer works for many things, it is no longer adjusted to fight SEO. They have allowed shopping to be dominated by near 60% Amazon links and search results for any kind of product are consumed by semi-fake comparison pages Amazon referral clickbait.

I also noted this comment:

The modern internet – for which Google by virtue of it’s near-monopoly status is responsible – falls far short of what 20th century science fiction thought it would be. There’s not a lot of information. There’s a lot of crappy goods being sold and a lot of ads. I occasionally find some good things, like agricultural extension websites, but there’s not a lot of genuine content that rises to the top.

I found this harsh. Employees and certain contractors can call a Googler. Oh, you are not in one of those categories. Well, think of the contact problem as an emulation of the AT&T-type approach to customer service. A “customer” spends big bucks. If not, you are not a “customer”; therefore, no customer service. This makes sense in the current business context I believe.

I liked the post. I would point out that Google wants to include links to Amazon because Amazon.com is not the go-to place for product information. The new wizard from Verity (remember those nifty security tokens and remarkable performance?) is going to do more of this shopping stuff. Why?

Amazon. Plus Google has problems with the TikTok thing. Also, Google faces a bit of management pressure from assorted Timnit-Gebru type situations, the absolute out of control wackiness of Google’s version of HAL, and the rascals in the European Union who are definitely not Googley.

Search is just one visible presentation of a certain digital issue. Incurable? Good question.

Stephen E Arnold, July 9, 2022

Written by Stephen E. Arnold · Filed Under Business strategy, Google, News

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Stephen E. Arnold monitors search, content processing, text mining and related topics from his high-tech nerve center in rural Kentucky. He tries to winnow the goose feathers from the giblets. He works with colleagues worldwide to make this Web log useful to those who want to go "beyond search". Contact him at sa [at] arnoldit.com. His Web site with additional information about search is arnoldit.com.