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Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

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Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#111

Post by zepearl »

asar wrote: post #12

I think it's a little too early to come to a full conclusion here. Google is constantly testing layout changes in SERPs and it seems like OP ended up in a test. The thread is 4 weeks old and I haven't seen or read anything on these changes anywhere but on this thread. I still think Google's general direction is clear with more webmaster incentives for structured data, amp and also Google just straight up answering qu…

Here in Switzerland I had it last week at home (not at the office), but currently the URLs are back.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#112

Post by fraaaam »

I switched to Ecosia a while ago and most of my searches return relatively solid results. For the ones that don't, you can type a #g at the end of your search term to continue to use google. They claim to not maintain search history profiles, they still have URLs, and they implement more search features regularly from what Ive seen. Not as private as DDG, but its definitely a step in the right direction. Oh and they plant a tree for every 40 searches or so.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#113

Post by dotancohen »

dessant wrote: post #84
yyyk wrote: post #50

This is a purely anti-user move. No user gains anything by it, this actually helps phishing sites. Oh, and it happens to help Google's AMP effort, which can now pretend to be the original site even more effectively. Time to get everyone to use Duck Duck Go, and to get rid of those Google CAPTCHAs which are an even bigger data harvesting operation than search.

Do we have any recourse against this monopoly, other than voicing our concerns repeatedly while they ignore us? Can we launch a class action lawsuit against Google if they harm people by limiting consumer choice, and force us to be tracked everywhere using reCAPTCHA v3 and various other methods? Keep in mind that not sending your data to Google is not a real option, there are several government services, health care…

  > Keep in mind that not sending your data to Google is not a
  > real option, there are several government services, health
  > care providers and utility companies using reCAPTCHA,
  > you personal data either gets harvested by Google,
  > or you're barred from accessing essential online services.
Google is not the problem, the government services, health care providers, and utility companies are the problem. You will need to get in touch with your local ombudsman and deal with each one individually.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#114

Post by tambourine_man »

This maybe the straw that’ll break the camel’s back.

I’m each day more pissed off with AMP. It’s taken over the web to such degree that it became essentially a first barrier to whatever content I’m accessing.

The experience is so terrible that I refuse to use it, so there goes another tap reload to access the real thing.

And sometimes the site refuses me. For whatever reason, I get stuck on a poorly implemented Google paywall even though I’m a paying customer of the site.

And now this. Wrapping the original URL on search results wasn’t enough it seems.

Add that to Gmail’s general suckiness and I can see them bleeding the advanced users that got them where they are pretty fast.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#115

Post by journalctl »

dessant wrote: post #84
yyyk wrote: post #50

This is a purely anti-user move. No user gains anything by it, this actually helps phishing sites. Oh, and it happens to help Google's AMP effort, which can now pretend to be the original site even more effectively. Time to get everyone to use Duck Duck Go, and to get rid of those Google CAPTCHAs which are an even bigger data harvesting operation than search.

Do we have any recourse against this monopoly, other than voicing our concerns repeatedly while they ignore us? Can we launch a class action lawsuit against Google if they harm people by limiting consumer choice, and force us to be tracked everywhere using reCAPTCHA v3 and various other methods? Keep in mind that not sending your data to Google is not a real option, there are several government services, health care…

> Do we have any recourse against this monopoly...?

Once upon a time, Congress used to write and pass laws to protect Americans from egregious abuses of power like this. Of course, that time is long gone.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#116

Post by Vaslo »

swebs wrote: post #89
jsilence wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would love to switch to DDG, but it consistently gives me search results that do not contain s search term at all, even when I wrap it in double quotes. So they give me thousands of non relevant search results.

Duckduckgo uses Bing search in the back end, which is dogshit. Alternatively, you can use Startpage, which uses Google results, but anonymized.

I use Bing everyday, get points towards gift cards, and literally never have any issues finding anything I search for, personal or technical.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#117

Post by Pxtl »

jsilence wrote: post #81
yyyk wrote: post #50

This is a purely anti-user move. No user gains anything by it, this actually helps phishing sites. Oh, and it happens to help Google's AMP effort, which can now pretend to be the original site even more effectively. Time to get everyone to use Duck Duck Go, and to get rid of those Google CAPTCHAs which are an even bigger data harvesting operation than search.

Would love to switch to DDG, but it consistently gives me search results that do not contain s search term at all, even when I wrap it in double quotes. So they give me thousands of non relevant search results.

It also doesn't have the good locality of Google search. It's like a timewarp back 15 years ago when I had to put "Canada" into every Google search query to tell them I want the Canadian version of the site.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#118

Post by rvnx »

F00bart wrote: post #106
swebs wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Duckduckgo uses Bing search in the back end, which is dogshit. Alternatively, you can use Startpage, which uses Google results, but anonymized.

Duckduckgo claims to use 400 sources [0], so you’re probably not totally spot on. Edit: However, that includes their Instant Answers feature, and the numbers are outdated, it’s 1600 sources, most of which are catering to an specific and tiny niche (like angular.js docs, or a dictionary of accounting terms). Main sources are Bing, Yahoo, Wolfram Alpha and their own crawler (according to Wikipedia). [0] https://help.du…

They say: 1 source = 1 widget/instant hack That's not for the SERP ;)

It's mostly Bing/Yahoo/Yandex rebranded depending on the country.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#119

Post by 9HZZRfNlpR »

ddtaylor wrote: post #85
dessant wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do we have any recourse against this monopoly, other than voicing our concerns repeatedly while they ignore us? Can we launch a class action lawsuit against Google if they harm people by limiting consumer choice, and force us to be tracked everywhere using reCAPTCHA v3 and various other methods? Keep in mind that not sending your data to Google is not a real option, there are several government services, health care…

What is wrong with just not using Google instead?

It's impossible, they track and bother you even if you selectively ignore them. It's sick that we tolerate it, you wouldn't tolerate peeping Tom's either if they promised to anonymity their data. Hey your daughter is anonymous and face blurred, there is no harm done. You can ignore all the public beaches, just opt out like that.

Re: Google are removing URLs entirely from search results?

#120

Post by mirimir »

I just checked Google search with Chrome and Firefox in Debian, and both still show URLs for actual search results. But not for ads.

So I wonder if Google plans to drop URLs from actual search results. And if they do, whether using Startpage, or DDG with the Google option, would still show them.

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