I believe many subscribers to this list have noticed that Google search has changed substantially in recent years. For instance, when I try to search a publication from the 1800s I have to dig through a long list of online merchants wishing to sell a preserved specimen before I reach a public library offering a freely downloadable scan in its digital archive. I don't think I am alone in this regard.
BBC reports on how Google's recent algorithm changes have affected internet traffic. Some sites are reporting drastic loss of traffic. As a prime example of an adversely affected business, the article discusses the case of House Fresh, a site that publishes results of independently conducted tests of air purifiers: Google just updated its algorithm. The Internet will never be the same https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240524-how-googles-new-algorithm-will-shape-your-internet --- House Fresh describes on their official site what happened to them and discusses possible causes. Some unusual behavior, such as Forbes the financial magazine uploading articles discussing pet care, is reported: HouseFresh disappeared from Google Search results. Now what? https://housefresh.com/how-google-decimated-housefresh/ The following article discusses how the changes affect academics. It says that Google search was once a reliable tool to find relevant information, but not any more: Google Search really has gotten worse. It's not just you. | Mashable https://mashable.com/article/google-search-low-quality-research Academics deserting from Google search, if true, is an ominous development. As scholars distinguishing between truth and falsehood is a crucial task and as educators they influence the behavior of students. Another way to say this is that academics will no longer perform the role of promoter. _______________________________________________ libreplanet-discuss mailing list [email protected] https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-discuss
