WebProNews

Tag: Search

  • Yahoo Answers Shutting Down May 4

    Yahoo Answers Shutting Down May 4

    After 16 years, Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4, 2021.

    Yahoo Answers is a well-known, community-driven part of Yahoo’s online properties, featuring questions and answers across a broad range of categories and interests. Unlike competing sites, such as Quora, Yahoo Answers was often ridiculed for vague and incorrect answers.

    The site’s days are now numbered, with Yahoo announcing it would be shutting down the site on May 4. The company says other Yahoo services and properties will not be impacted.

    These changes are specific to Yahoo Answers. They won’t impact your Yahoo Account or any other Yahoo services.

    Yahoo is also making user content available for download.

    Your content must be requested before June 30, 2021. Follow the instructions for downloading your Yahoo Answers data.

    Your Yahoo Answers data download will return all user-generated content including your Questions list, Questions, Answers list, Answers, and any images. You won’t be able to download other users’ content, questions, or answers.

    While many people will not miss Yahoo Answers, it’s still a symbolic loss for a company that helped pioneer many of the internet search features users take for granted.

  • DuckDuckGo Calls Out Google’s Apps For Spying On Users

    DuckDuckGo Calls Out Google’s Apps For Spying On Users

    DuckDuckGo is mincing no words in calling out Google’s apps for spying on users and not respecting their privacy.

    Google drew widespread criticism for taking months to roll out updates to its iOS apps after Apple introduced privacy labels in the App Store. The new feature is designed to let users know exactly what personal information an app collects and tracks. Google has only recently updated many of its apps, after dragging its feet for months after privacy labels went live.

    DuckDuckGo is calling the company to task for what Chrome and the Google app privacy labels reveals about Google’s data collection.

    Google is already facing increased backlash for its privacy practices, including a lawsuit that claims the company continues to track people even when Chrome’s Incognito Mode is enabled.

    Users who truly value privacy should migrate away from Google’s apps sooner rather than later.

  • Google Tries to Preempt Australian Law With Paid News Platform

    Google Tries to Preempt Australian Law With Paid News Platform

    Google is launching News Showcase in Australia, in an effort to preempt a new law that would force the company to pay for news.

    Google has been at odds with the Australian government over new regulations that would require the company to pay for the news it quotes or links to in search results. Google is notoriously opposed to paying for news, claiming that publishers benefit far more than it does when it links to their content.

    The dispute has reached the point where Google has threatened to leave the Australian market if the law is enacted. Meanwhile, Microsoft has moved to assure the Australian government that it can not only meet the increased demand caused by a Google exit but also supports the legislation.

    In its latest move, Google is rolling out its paid news platform, News Showcase, within the country in an effort to preempt the Australian government and show the proposed law is unnecessary.

    According to Reuters, News Showcase was previously only available in Germany and Brazil. While it was supposed to roll out in Australia last June, Google postponed it once the government made it apparent it was going to force the company to pay for news.

    The fact that Google is rolling it out now, with seven domestic news publishers on board, seems to be aimed at providing an alternative, more palatable option to the government’s proposal.

    “This provides an alternative to the model put forward by the Australian government,” said Derek Wilding, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney’s Centre for Media Transition.

    “What remains to be seen is if larger publishers sign on to the product,” added Wilding.

  • Google Search May Pull Out Of Australia Over News Content

    Google Search May Pull Out Of Australia Over News Content

    Google has taken the extraordinary step of threatening to pull its search engine out of Australia if it’s forced to pay for news content.

    Google has long been at odds with news publishers. Many have tried to get the company to pay for news, but the company has made it a practice to link to and use news content without paying. Google has always claimed that news publishers benefit far more than it does from the arrangement.

    In spite of that, the company has begun caving to pressure. France has ordered Google to pay for news and the company recently set aside $1 billion to help fund partnerships with publishers.

    Google seems unwilling to give into Australia’s demands, however, according to ABC News. According to the report, Google has said it will pull its search engine if Australia moves ahead with its plans to force the company to pay.

    “If this version of the code were to become law, it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google search available in Australia,” Mel Silva, the managing director of Google Australia and New Zealand, told a Senate inquiry. “And that would be a bad outcome not only for us, but also for the Australian people, media diversity, and the small businesses who use our products every day.”

    That stance did not go over well with the government, with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying “we don’t respond to threats.”

    It remains to be seen how things will eventually shake out, but it’s not looking good for Google Australia either way.

  • Google Ads Beta May Add Keywords Automatically, Result In Overspending

    Google Ads Beta May Add Keywords Automatically, Result In Overspending

    A new Google Ads beta may result in overspending, as a result of keywords being added without users’ knowledge.

    The issue was first discovered by Lior Krolewicz, with Yael Consulting.

    Last week I saw one of my client’s budget was overspending. Digging into the offending campaign, I found keywords that I never saw before. There was no record of these keywords even being added (in the change history) but here they were, overspending by 50% of my target budget.

    After lengthy back-and-forth with Google, Krolewicz was pointed to the agency’s Auto Applied Recommendations Control Center, a new feature in beta. Krolewicz’s client had “Maximum Impact” selected. To make matters worse, Google does not show any changes it has made in the standard Google Ads interface.

    In the FAQ section, Google attributes this to the feature still being in beta.

    Why don’t I see any information about auto applied recommendations in my Google Ads account?

    This feature is in the beta testing stage, and your Google Ads account has been selected to participate. To find more information and manage this feature, sign in to the auto applied recommendations control center.

    Google Ads users should check their account to make sure they are are not being overcharged as a result of this beta feature.

  • Google Brings Free Retail Listings to Google Search

    Google Brings Free Retail Listings to Google Search

    Google has announced that it is bringing free retail listings to the main Google Search results page.

    The move follows Google’s decision to primarily include free listings on the Google Shopping tab. According to Bill Ready President of Commerce, that move resulted in a significant uptick in engagement between customers and merchants. This would seem to indicate that people are having better success finding what they’re looking for.

    “Sellers of all sizes are benefitting from this incremental traffic, particularly small and medium-sized businesses,” writes Ready. “And we already see that these changes will help generate billions of dollars in sales for retailers and brands in the U.S., on an annual basis.

    “Now, we’re bringing free listings to the main Google Search results page in the U.S., helping shoppers choose the products and sellers that will serve them best, from the widest variety of options.”

    Given the impact the pandemic has had on the retail industry, this move will certainly help small and medium-sized businesses connect with more customers online.

  • Antitrust Case Against Facebook May Be Next

    Antitrust Case Against Facebook May Be Next

    Just days after the DOJ filed an antitrust case against Google, the FTC may be planning a similar case against Facebook.

    Tech giants are under more scrutiny now than at any time since Microsoft’s landmark antitrust case in 2001. The DOJ filed a case against Google over its search and search advertising business. The CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Twitter have also been called to testify before Congress, in some cases repeatedly.

    Now, according to Politico, the five FTC commissioners have met to discuss an antitrust case against Facebook. The company has repeatedly been accused of stifling competition by purchasing smaller rivals it deems a potential or future threat. In addition, Facebook has faced ongoing criticism for its mishandling of user privacy.

    Because of the confidential nature of the probe, Politico’s sources spoke anonymously. It’s unknown which way the FTC commissioners are leaning, and a decision is not expected for several weeks. Nonetheless, it’s the latest challenge facing Big Tech in general, and social media in particular.

  • DOJ Files Antitrust Charges Against Google

    DOJ Files Antitrust Charges Against Google

    The US Department of Justice has officially filed antitrust charges against Google, accusing the search giant of monopolistic practices regarding its search business.

    DOJ officials have been investigating Google for some time, with Attorney General William Barr pushing for a lawsuit to be filed. Google is widely seen as abusing its position as the dominant search engine, making it difficult for rivals to compete. In addition, Google’s dominance in search and search advertising effectively make it the gatekeeper of the internet, giving it unrivaled power over the success or failure of internet-based businesses.

    “Today, millions of Americans rely on the Internet and online platforms for their daily lives. Competition in this industry is vitally important, which is why today’s challenge against Google — the gatekeeper of the Internet — for violating antitrust laws is a monumental case both for the Department of Justice and for the American people,” said Attorney General William Barr. “Since my confirmation, I have prioritized the Department’s review of online market-leading platforms to ensure that our technology industries remain competitive. This lawsuit strikes at the heart of Google’s grip over the internet for millions of American consumers, advertisers, small businesses and entrepreneurs beholden to an unlawful monopolist.”

    In particular, Google is accused of engaging in anticompetitive behavior by restricting competition in searches in favor of protecting its own interests. This has led to a reduction in the quality of search results, as well as higher costs to advertisers. The DOJ believes a vibrant search industry would benefit both of these issues.

    Attorney Generals from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina and Texas have joined the lawsuit.

    It remains to be seen if the government will be able to make its case. In recent weeks, there appeared to be disagreement about how to proceed, with long-time DOJ lawyers feeling more time was needed to adequately prepare a strong case. AG Barr pushed for the case to move forward, despite the concerns that prematurely doing so could give Google a significant advantage at trial.

  • Google Has Fixed 99.9% of Canonical Indexing Issues

    Google Has Fixed 99.9% of Canonical Indexing Issues

    Google has announced it has fixed 99.9% of the canonical issues impacting how websites were indexed.

    Google confirmed three weeks ago that it was dealing with indexing issues that were affecting mobile pages and canonicalization. The issues could result in pages not being indexed, or the wrong URL being associated with a given page.

    According to Google, the issues are 99.9% fixed, with outlier cases expected to be fixed in the next week or two.

  • Microsoft Re-Launches Bing Site Explorer

    Microsoft Re-Launches Bing Site Explorer

    Microsoft has announced the release of a revamped version of Site Explorer, including major new features.

    Site Explorer is an important tool for webmasters, as it shows them how Microsoft Bing sees their site. According to Microsoft, “It reflects most URLs we have seen on the web, including redirects, broken links, or those blocked by robots.txt, organized in a file explorer-like fashion. Thus, giving you the flexibility to navigate each folder and the URLs contained inside them to understand, debug and modify your site structure as required.”

    The update comes amid a rebranding of Bing to Microsoft Bing. With this latest effort, the Redmond-based company seems to be focusing more attention on its search engine. The company probably sees an opportunity for growth, as Google has been increasingly under scrutiny for what many regulators believe is monopoly abuse of its search dominance.

    While, on the surface, these updates to Site Explorer may seem minor, Microsoft told Search Engine Land: “This is a complete new experience, cleaner and far easier to use and complete new system to support this tool.”

    Webmasters will likely benefit from the new tools and updated options.

  • Google Search Experiencing Issues With Mobile Indexing and Canonicalization

    Google Search Experiencing Issues With Mobile Indexing and Canonicalization

    Google has confirmed it is dealing with two separate issues with its search, one impacting mobile indexing and the other canonicalization.

    Around September 23, website operators began noticing a change in how sites were being ranked by Google. Originally this was chalked up to a search engine algorithm.

    Google has acknowledged both issues. In the case of the mobile indexing bug, it can result in no page being indexed. The canonicalization could result in a page not being indexed, or the wrong URL being associated with a page.

    Google is working to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. Site owners will not need to do anything, simply wait for Google to fix the issue.

  • WSJ: Google Deal With Apple Worth $13 Billion A Year

    WSJ: Google Deal With Apple Worth $13 Billion A Year

    The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google may be paying Apple as much as $13 billion per year to be the default search engine for the Safari web browser which is included on all Apple devices. That’s up from $1 billion that Google paid Apple in 2014 which was disclosed in a court filing during a legal battle with Oracle. If the $14 billion is accurate it amounts to approximately 25% of Apple’s total services revenue.

    The DOJ is currently meeting with state attorney generals in anticipation of filing an antitrust case against Google which is officially owned by Alphabet, Inc. The New York Times says that a primary focus of a lawsuit by the Justice Department is the default search deals that Google has with Apple and other companies. These agreements make it virtually impossible for competitors to ever make a dent into Google’s 92.1% US search engine market share.

    Google has repeatedly said that the simple reason it is popular is that it works hard to deliver the best search results. The WSJ article notes that even if Google was precluded from default search deals many people would still choose to use Google for search, validating Google’s argument.

    A recent post by Google advanced that point:

    Products like Search, Gmail, and Maps help Americans every day. Survey research found that these services provide thousands of dollars a year in value to the average American. We provide these tools to everyone for free.

    Our products increase choice and expand competition. They level the playing field for small businesses everywhere—enabling them to sell their products, find customers, reduce their costs and, in difficult times, get back on their feet.

    Source: Google Blog

    Google says that its free products help people and small businesses across America. They make the case that their technologies help America maintain its competitive edge. In other words, Google doesn’t charge for its search engine and is providing a service loved by millions, so it’s not anti-competitive simply because people choose it instead of competitors.

  • DuckDuckGo Experiences Major Growth

    DuckDuckGo Experiences Major Growth

    DuckDuckGo, the privacy-first search engine, is experiencing record growth as customers become more concerned about protecting their privacy.

    According to a company tweet, the search engine touted “a record breaking August,” with some two billion searches, 4 million app/extension installs and an estimated 65 million active users. The company admits it doesn’t have an exact count as a result of the very same privacy that makes the search engine unique.

    Despite DuckDuckGo’s growth, it still has a long way to go before it’s a threat to Google. The search giant currently controls 87.3%, with Bing a distant runner-up at 7.2%. Even Yahoo only has 3.41%. DuckDuckGo brings up fourth place with 1.75%.

    Even so, as customers become more privacy-conscious, DuckDuckGo may soon start moving into third and second place.

  • EU Wants More Concessions From Google Over Fitbit Deal

    EU Wants More Concessions From Google Over Fitbit Deal

    The EU is asking for more concessions from Google, over concerns its Fitbit deal will give it an unfair advantage over competitors.

    Google agreed to purchase Fitbit for $2.1 billion and almost immediately drew scrutiny from regulatory authorities on both sides of the Atlantic. As a result, the company promised not to use any Fitbit data for its advertising in an effort to assuage concerns.

    It appears those efforts were not enough, as the EU is demanding additional concessions. According to Ars Technica, EU officials are demanding that Google not use any Fitbit data to “further enhance its search advantage.” In addition, they want Google to give third parties equal access to the data.

    It’s unclear if Google will agree to the terms, but it may ultimately have no choice if it wants the deal to proceed. Given the company’s history, it seems the authorities don’t want to open the door to Google gaining even more of an advantage than it already has.

  • Bing Webmaster Tools Provides Backlink Data On Similar Sites

    Bing Webmaster Tools Provides Backlink Data On Similar Sites

    Bing has unveiled a new feature that gives users competitive backlink data for similar and recommended sites.

    The announcement was made via the Bing Webmaster Team Twitter account:

    Backlinks is back in the new Bing Webmaster Tools https://bing.com/webmasters/backlinks… ! Backlinks not only for your site but also for other sites (tab Similar sites), including for sites we suggest. Have a look and give us feedback on this beta tool.

    Bing Webmaster Team (@BingWMC) June 1, 2020

    The feature will be a big hit with webmasters, as it will give them valuable competitive insight into other websites, while also giving Bing a significant competitive advantage over Google.

  • Google Expands Advertiser Identity Verification Policy

    Google Expands Advertiser Identity Verification Policy

    Google has announced it is expanding its advertising identification policy in an effort to improve transparency.

    The company initially rolled out its identify verification policy in 2018, although it applied primarily to political advertisers. In recent years, however, Google and other tech companies have been fighting an increase in misinformation, including misleading and fraudulent ads. As a result, Google wants to help shine a light on the companies behind ads that customers see, adding a degree of accountability and transparency. The feature will begin rolling out this summer, with an “About the advertiser” disclosure, similar to the current “Why this ad?” information.

    “This change will make it easier for people to understand who the advertiser is behind the ads they see from Google and help them make more informed decisions when using our advertising controls,” writes John Canfield, Director of Product Management, Ads Integrity. “It will also help support the health of the digital advertising ecosystem by detecting bad actors and limiting their attempts to misrepresent themselves.

    “We will start by verifying advertisers in phases in the U.S. and continue to expand globally. Because we are working closely with our advertising partners to scale the program while continuing to ensure we are surfacing helpful information to our users, we expect that this process will take a few years to complete. Advertisers can learn more about the identity verification program here.”

    This is good news for customers and will hopefully help cut down on misleading and fraudulent ads.

    Image Credit: Google

  • Google Displaying Coronavirus Testing Facilities in Search

    Google Displaying Coronavirus Testing Facilities in Search

    Google has upgraded its search to show coronavirus testing and health facilities in 43 states.

    With adequate testing being hailed as one of the single most critical factors to combating the pandemic and reopening the economy, finding a facility that offers testing can still be a challenge. Google is working to address that by listing testing facilities in its search results.

    At the same time, not all facilities will show up. According to a support page, Google is “working to make this information easily searchable on Google in a way that aligns with the local testing procedures and recommendations.” As a result, the company will only show facilities approved for publishing. Even so, according to The Verge, that still translates to over 2,000 facilities in 43 states. When searching for topics related to COVID-19, a “Testing” tab will appear on the left.

    Google’s move is just the latest example of how tech companies are on the forefront of fighting the pandemic.

  • Coronavirus: Google Will Show Businesses That Are Temporarily Closed

    Coronavirus: Google Will Show Businesses That Are Temporarily Closed

    As more restaurants, bars and businesses close in an attempt to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, Google Search and Maps will inform users.

    In a blog post on the company’s site, CEO Sundar Pichai outlined the various steps the company is taking to help fight the spread of the pandemic, including “promoting the ‘Do the Five’ campaign to raise awareness of simple measures people can take to slow the spread of the disease, according to the WHO.”

    Google is also working hard to fight misinformation regarding the pandemic. A big part of that has been removing videos that are dangerous or misleading from YouTube, as well as taking down false information, fake reviews and misleading information on Google Maps.

    The company is also working to help businesses inform customers via Search and Maps when they are temporarily closed as a result of the virus.

    “Based on data from governments and other authoritative sources, Google Search and Maps will now display if a place, like a school or local business, is temporarily closed,” continues Pichai. “In the coming days, we’ll make it possible for businesses to easily mark themselves as ‘temporarily closed’ using Google My Business. We’re also using our artificial intelligence (AI) technology Duplex where possible to contact businesses to confirm their updated business hours, so we can reflect them accurately when people are looking on Search and Maps.”

    These are welcome steps the search giant is taking to help individuals and businesses alike in the face of the pandemic.

  • Google’s Troubles Mount As DOJ Focuses On Ad Tools

    Google’s Troubles Mount As DOJ Focuses On Ad Tools

    According to the Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department is ramping up its investigation into Google, focusing heavily on the company’s ad tools.

    According to the report, the DOJ has increasingly been directing its questions—both of competitors and Google executives—toward “how Google’s third-party advertising business interacts with publishers and advertisers.”

    At the heart of the issue is the fact that Google essentially controls the entire process, resulting in its ad software being the dominant player at every stage of the relationship between online publishers and advertisers. Google reinforced that even more in recent years with two key decisions, according to the WSJ. The first was when it integrated “its ad server, the leading tool for websites to put ad space up for sale, with its ad exchange, the industry’s largest digital ad marketplace. The second move was Google’s decision to require advertisers to use its own tools to buy ad space on YouTube.”

    Competitors have alleged that Google’s tying their services together gives the company an unfair and anticompetitive edge, making it impossible to compete with Google on merit alone.

    At least one rival is pleased with the direction the questioning is going. Michael Nevins, chief marketing officer of Smart AdServer told the WSJ: “They are zooming in on the right topics, and that’s a good thing.”

  • Microsoft Won’t Force Bing Search In Office 365 ProPlus

    Microsoft Won’t Force Bing Search In Office 365 ProPlus

    Microsoft is backtracking on plans to force Bing on Office 365 ProPlus users following pushback.

    On January 22, Microsoft announced it would include the Microsoft Search Bing extension with Office 365 ProPlus, effectively making Bing the default search engine, forcing it on users whether they wanted it or not. Needless to say, the backlash was immediate and severe, prompting Microsoft to revisit their decision.

    In a community post Tuesday, the company acknowledged the negative feedback it had received, and outlined the adjustments they are making.

    “But we’ve also heard concerns about the way we were planning to roll this value out. Most importantly, we heard that customers don’t want Office 365 ProPlus to change search defaults without an opt-in, and they need a way to govern these changes on unmanaged devices.

    “Based on your feedback, we are making a few changes to our plan:

    • The Microsoft Search in Bing browser extension will not be automatically deployed with Office 365 ProPlus.
    • Through a new toggle in Microsoft 365 admin center, administrators will be able to opt in to deploy the browser extension to their organization through Office 365 ProPlus.
    • In the near term, Office 365 ProPlus will only deploy the browser extension to AD-joined devices, even within organizations that have opted in. In the future we will add specific settings to govern the deployment of the extension to unmanaged devices.
    • We will continue to provide end users who receive the extension with control over their search engine preference.”

    This is welcome news to Office 365 ProPlus users.

  • Google Backtracks on Misleading Search Results

    Google Backtracks on Misleading Search Results

    Google is apparently walking back a recent search redesign that made it difficult to distinguish ads from organic results, according to TechCrunch.

    Google was in the news recently for blurring the line between organic search results and ads, making it difficult to distinguish between the two. The move was important because Google only makes money when users click on ads, as opposed to organic results. Therefore, it’s in the company’s interest for users to click on as many ads, or sponsored links, as possible.

    The move did not sit well with anyone, however, with consumers, journalists and politicians alike slamming the search giant. As TechCrunch points out, Senator Mark Warner told the Washington Post:

    “We’ve seen multiple instances over the last few years where Google has made paid advertisements ever more indistinguishable from organic search results. This is yet another example of a platform exploiting its bottleneck power for commercial gain, to the detriment of both consumers and also small businesses.”

    The company has now acknowledged, via Twitter, that it needs to go back to the drawing boards to deliver an update that addresses user concern.

    “Here’s our full statement on why we’re going to experiment further. Our early tests of the design for desktop were positive. But we appreciate the feedback, the trust people place in Google, and we’re dedicating to improving the experience.”

    —Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) January 24, 2020