I often see scam ads on YouTube as well, they (Google) should really do something about it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34943047
Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result
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Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result
#232Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sounds like India needs a single number for all emergency services instead of the fractured system they have now.
Not sure why there no direct replies to this, but 108 is a dedicated line for all emergencies. Interestingly 112 and 911 have also worked for me in the past when butt dialed.
Cell networks have a special "call emergency" code, which doesn't actually call a number at all; phones are required by the (ETSI) standard to translate dialling 112 into the call emergency code, and also to translate the national emergency number in the country they are in. Mostly, they solve this by treating 911 and 999 as the emergency number everywhere.
This is so the cell network can prioritise emergency calls and also will allow them to be made even when other calls are blocked (e.g. if you have no credit, or you only have signal on another network, or even if your phone is blocked by IMEI because it was reported stolen).
Landlines are different, they do treat emergency calls as a call to the emergency number and whether they will reroute another country's emergency number to the one where you are will depend on the specific exchange you are connected to (e.g. in the UK, 999 will work on all landlines; 112 on almost all except the oldest analogue exchanges and 911 on most but missing some older exchanges).
Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result
#233It has always boggled my mind that you're even allowed to publish ads targeting other companies brand names as keywords without being the verified owner of that company. But I understand Google here. It's probably their single biggest income stream. Our company is using a very big chunk of our ad words budget targeting our own brand name to make sure it's on top. More than for any other keyword by far. And I imagine…
I disagree that it’s a scam to advertise over someone else’s name as long as it’s clear and you’re not trying to confuse the user. I’ve found better alternatives than what I was looking for through competitor ads. I’ve had this happen on Google and the App Store and I appreciate it. It gives newer, or less well-known, companies a chance to gain exposure. And consumers like me might learn about a superior option they…
If Figma is running an ad on the Photoshop keyword, then it should be blatantly obvious that it's not an ad for Photoshop.
Like "Figma: an Alternative to Photoshop" (you can tell I'm not an advertising copywriter).
Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result
#234Earlier quoted context omitted.
Plot twist: Cory Doctorow gets paid by the restaurant to promote them. He then made the fake website and bought the Google ads in order to concoct this outrage story to go viral. I mean, if this is a "great Thai restaurant in my neighborhood", how likely is it he ordered there yesterday for the first time?
Do you have perfect recall of every restaurant's website? Even if you do, surely one of them changed their site at some point. You're probably joking, but even if you do order from a place a couple times a year it can be hard to tell which site is theirs. A local restaurant for me at one point had two different websites, each featured different indoor pictures of the location and their food. I never knew if I should…
Yes, I was joking, should have made that more obvious.
Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result
#235Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am pretty sure that doctorow how has a better imagination than to believe that "Holy shit do we live in the worst of all possible timelines." We actually live in a pretty good timeline when we complain about ordering Thai food over the internet and the worst that happens is we get our food delivered with some trouble.
If you're OK with the timeline that's moving towards owning nothing and pretending to be happy for the photo.
There's a vast difference between the timeline we are living in and the worst possible one.
We could all not be here now, for instance. That would be the worst for me.
Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result
#236Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe 112 is already the single emergency number. It appears to be a relatively recent thing though.
Tbh, I (and most Indians) don't know how 112 works. In the US, if you dial 9-1-1 for a medical emergency, in most regions, it is highly likely that an ambulance with EMT/paramedics will arrive in In my city of Bengaluru, there are, no exaggeration, good hospitals within 2-5 km of any point in the city. Most of these hospitals have ambulance fleets that can get to you fast, within 10-15 minutes. Anecdotally, people pr…
That’s totally understandable, I learnt the 100-101-102 numbers I think in school and wasn’t well aware of 112. Thoughtful if I’m not mistaken calling even 911 will redirect you correctly.
> In my city of Bengaluru, there are, no exaggeration, good hospitals within 2-5 km of any point in the city. Most of these hospitals have ambulance fleets that can get to you fast, within 10-15 minutes. Anecdotally, people prefer calling these hospitals directly for ambulance.
Oh yeah certainly, it’s similar here in Mumbai. Having said that fortunately we’ve never had to call one in an emergency.