Ask HN: Why do misclicks on Google take me to e-commerce stores?

#1

Post by boldpandabear » Wed, Sep 16, 2020, 4:58 PM UTC

I notice when I try to click an organic search link if I miss ever so slightly, Google is now sending me to e-commerce sites as if I clicked an ad.

For example, I was researching if the big 10 would play football this year and tried to click a news link and must have missed or something and Google sent me to a site for big 10 merchandise. There was no ad showing on Google for this at all. I just tried to click the newslink and it took me to an ecommerce store.

Is this a Google intended feature or do I have a virus on my computer or something?

Re: Ask HN: Why do misclicks on Google take me to e-commerce stores?

#2

Post by simantel » Wed, Sep 16, 2020, 6:14 PM UTC

That definitely sounds like malware of some sort. Might be worth turning off all your browser extensions as a starting point?

Re: Ask HN: Why do misclicks on Google take me to e-commerce stores?

#3

Post by Johnny87 » Thu, Sep 17, 2020, 12:45 AM UTC

simantel wrote: post #2

That definitely sounds like malware of some sort. Might be worth turning off all your browser extensions as a starting point?

Yeah I'd wipe your browser histroy/cache

Re: Ask HN: Why do misclicks on Google take me to e-commerce stores?

#4

Post by giantg2 » Thu, Sep 17, 2020, 7:30 PM UTC

You can also use a Pi-hole to block the ads or malicious sites while investigating the cause or to prevent going to the sites of a similar issue re-occurs.