Home Technology What Is Making Google Search Users Unhappy about Reddit’s Controversial Protest, and How Does Google View the Situation?

What Is Making Google Search Users Unhappy about Reddit’s Controversial Protest, and How Does Google View the Situation?

Earlier this month, certain Reddit communities participated in a “dark” protest, temporarily closing their doors to outsiders. Although some subreddits have since returned online, users of Google Search are still struggling to find relevant results related to “Reddit”, leading to growing frustration among them.

Numerous search result pages have become inaccessible due to popular forum moderators making their pages private as part of a widespread protest against Reddit’s decision to charge developers for data access.

During a companywide meeting, a worker raised concerns about the visibility of “authentic discussions” on Google. They highlighted the difficulty in finding such content after the “Reddit blackout.” In response, CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged that users prefer comprehensive answers rather than just “blue links.” He further explained that users often include the name of forum sites like Reddit in their searches to find more useful information.

To address these concerns, Google recently introduced a new feature called Perspectives, which is available on mobile web and the Google app in the US. This feature aims to provide discussion forums and videos from social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Quora.

HJ Kim, the Vice President of Engineering in Search, acknowledged the demand for more content from sites like Reddit. The company has been working on a feature called Perspectives tab to fulfill this request, but Kim recognized that there is still room for improvement.

During the meeting, Google’s senior vice president, Prabhakar Raghavan, acknowledged the frustration expressed by users regarding the current search experience. He mentioned that the company is actively working on improving search results by displaying helpful resources without users having to specifically add “Reddit” to their searches.

Raghavan also addressed concerns about excessive ads and irrelevant results. He emphasized the importance of enhancing the user experience on Google’s core product and stated that the company is committed to making users happy. While AI is a priority, Raghavan stressed that it is not the sole solution, and Google is experimenting with various approaches, including Perspectives, to meet new and emerging needs.

In conclusion, Google is actively addressing the issues raised by users in their search experience, particularly related to finding relevant content from Reddit and improving visibility of authentic discussions. The company is dedicated to enhancing its core product and ensuring user satisfaction.

 

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