For the past few years, a growing number of users, analysts, and experts raised alarms about a truth that feels obvious to a lot of people who surf around in web browsers: the quality of Google results is in serious decline. Google disagrees.

  • megopie@beehaw.org
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    10 months ago

    Honestly I don’t think it’s just Google, DDG has been getting worse as well, not quite as bad as Google but still similar issues where the thing I’m looking for is buried under spam sites built to a generic standard with shitty content but spectacular search engine optimization.

    And pumping out sites and pages like that is optimal in the current market as it is the best way to get clicks, as supposed to investing in skilled writing, investigation and research.

    The problem is that the major search engines have all kind of sat on their behinds about this and actively sold these bad websites assistance in gaming their search engine. The search engines would have to rebuild their search functions to find signs of bad sites and deprioritize them in the list, not just show things that seem relevant. They’ll probably never do this because then they’d hurt the part of their business that is helping shitty sites game the engine.

    • Stillhart@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      as supposed to

      Not to be that guy, but it’s “as opposed to”. Hope this helps in the future!

      • megopie@beehaw.org
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        10 months ago

        I say supposed here in place of opposed as “ supposed” implies “a correct course of action”, rather than “an alternative but opposite course of action.”

        • Gaywallet (they/it)@beehaw.org
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          10 months ago

          As an FYI, opposed does not necessarily mean opposite, it can and often means in contrast to or in conflict with. Shades of gray, but either word works fine here.

        • Melmi
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          10 months ago

          “as opposed to” is an idiom that just means “in contrast”. You’re creating a contrast between what they’re actually doing as opposed to what they’re supposed to be doing. “As supposed to” doesn’t work as a preposition and doesn’t actually create a contrast on its own.

    • ranandtoldthat@beehaw.org
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      10 months ago

      In the mid aughts every time Google updated their ranking, and results shuffled it was called the “Google dance”. We sorely need a major Google dance.