[Malum Prohibitum]

If it weren't for the censorship of the history books used in government schools, I have an idea that kids 75 years from now would be learning about how Google destroyed the world through it's subversive censorship and agenda pushing. People just don't (or don't want to) see it though.

This is the first I have heard of this. Google is my preferred search engine because it gives me the returns I seek. I have tried others, and they do not work well. Sometimes other search engines are not even able to find web sites I visit all the time but do not have bookmarked.

Yahoo is the worst. It was the default on the wife's iPad. Type in What is Trump's position on x, y, or Z, and you get 50 results on Trump Is The Devil and Why Hillary is Better than Trump (hyperbole, but not far off the mark).

So, let's hear it.

(A) Is Google bad?

(B) Why is it bad?

(C) What alternatives are better?

(D) Why are they better?​

 

[jsaund22]

(A) Is Google bad?

It depends. You say Google returns the results you are looking for better than any other search engine. In that regard, Google is the best. Google is bad for other reasons.

(B) Why is it bad?

Google is a left-wing company. They probably do attempt to slant what you are presented with if you're searching for things related to politics. They collect massive amounts of personal data about what you search for, what sites you frequent, what you purchase, what your entertainment preferences are (Youtube), etc. Google probably knows more about you than your significant other, if you spend a good deal of time online.

(C) What alternatives are better?

Bing - it probably collects similar amounts of data about your search interests as Google, but it has always returned fairly accurate results for me.

DuckDuckGo - supposedly good for privacy, but I don't tend to trust any company that touts privacy

There are others, but the quality (IMO) falls off dramatically enough that they aren't worth mentioning.

(D) Why are they better?

For me, no search engine is better than Google, simply because of the accuracy of results. When I'm searching for something political in nature I will sometimes open IE, which I never use, and do the search from that browser without logging into Google. You'd be surprised at how different the results can be.

 

[ForsythGlock]

...For me, no search engine is better than Google, simply because of the accuracy of results. When I'm searching for something political in nature I will sometimes open IE, which I never use, and do the search from that browser without logging into Google. You'd be surprised at how different the results can be.

When you use IE, are the results different when using Google as the search engine in both?

 

[jsaund22]

When you use IE, are the results different when using Google as the search engine in both?

Chrome is my standard browser. I am logged into my Google account when I am in Chrome, so my results are "catered" to my search, browsing, YouTubing, etc. history. Even if I log out, it's not a "clean" logout, so there is still some catering done just based on browser type. Right or wrong, in the computer world, people who use Internet Explorer are considered a little less intelligent than those who use alternate browsers. Even airlines modify their prices for the same flights based solely on the browser you use.

Again - I don't search for much political stuff. I mostly search for stuff related to technology, CNC machining, poker, science, 3D printing, that kind of stuff. And since Google knows my history it is able to present me with results that are "more accurately" what I am looking for.

[Edit] That was a long way to say that, yes, the results are different, even if I'm logged out of Chrome. If I'm logged in to Chrome, they can be dramatically different depending on the subject.

 

[jsaund22]

Just a note - all search engines these days are going to try to "learn" a little bit about you. They are going to collect aggregate and detailed data about what you search for and which results you click on. They will assume the clicked results more closely represent what you were searching for, and they will attempt to present you with more similar results at the top of your search in the future. The more they learn about you, the more different the results will be when compared against a "virgin" browser.

 

[moe mensale]

In simple terms...

So, let's hear it.

(A) Is Google bad? Yes.

(B) Why is it bad? Because Page & Brin (and the whole company) are statist in their approach to the common man.

(C) What alternatives are better? www.duckduckgo.com

(D) Why are they better? They're not Google.
​

 

[GM404]

This is the first I have heard of this. Google is my preferred search engine because it gives me the returns I seek. I have tried others, and they do not work well. Sometimes other search engines are not even able to find web sites I visit all the time but do not have bookmarked.

Yahoo is the worst. It was the default on the wife's iPad. Type in What is Trump's position on x, y, or Z, and you get 50 results on Trump Is The Devil and Why Hillary is Better than Trump (hyperbole, but not far off the mark).

So, let's hear it.

(A) Is Google bad?

(B) Why is it bad?

(C) What alternatives are better?

(D) Why are they better?​

There are lots of articles that discuss it (you could Google it)... :lol: but here is an example:

http://www.slate.com/articles/techn...hy_google_search_results_favor_democrats.html

Another blogger shared the results of his spam folder in Gmail...most of it was from right leaning organizations.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/07/you_think_google_may_be_biased.html

Personally, I am bothered in the censorship of some remarkable things in history (Doodles on their landing page) but yet the celebration of other things. Such as:

http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/05/google_doodles_redrawing_american_history.html

I understand how "great" the results can be and I admit that I use a lot of Google products (Gmail, calendar, an Android phone) but that doesn't mean that I agree with how they are doing things. And no...I am not going to stop using their products to "take a stand". There are over 1 billion monthly views of Gmail, so me forgoing Google will do nothing to stop their takeover of the world. It is what it is.

 

[68908]

The political or idealogical hiding of results, censorship is disturbing

 

[Mrs_Esterhouse]

MP, please read this. http://dontbubble.us/

 

[Savannah Dan]

I use Dogpile. No, really I do.

 

[TITAN308]

This is like asking if the internet is a good idea.

Pros: Unmatched information availability.

Cons: Every douche flute with an internet connection is on there.

 

[gunsmoker]

I use Google. Lots of crap, and my search returns are obviously targeted based on my browsing history (which may be useful, and sometimes makes the searches truly more relevant), BUT IT WORKS.
I've tried other browsers just a few times each, and they're not as good.
On my i-Phone, I set the default search engine to be Google, too.

 

[AtlPhilip]

I use Google. Lots of crap, and my search returns are obviously targeted based on my browsing history (which may be useful, and sometimes makes the searches truly more relevant), BUT IT WORKS.
I've tried other browsers just a few times each, and they're not as good.
On my i-Phone, I set the default search engine to be Google, too.

Add &pws=0 to the end of the URL generated after performing a Google search. Basically, this tells Google to turn off personalized web search.

 

[GM404]

Here you go. Searches skew results to positive stories about HRC.

https://www.airsassociation.org/ser...bias-protecting-hillary-clinton-confi?start=6