The day Google started to get worse: ‘We are getting too close to money’

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the growing concerns about the deterioration of Google's search results, with a focus on the internal debate within Google about prioritizing advertising revenue over user experience. It highlights the emails between Google executives, particularly Ben Gomes and Prabhakar Raghavan, which reveal the tension between the Search and Advertising departments.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The day Google started to get worse: 'We are getting too close to money'

1. What was the main concern expressed by Ben Gomes, the former head of Search at Google, in an internal email in 2019?

• Ben Gomes expressed concern that "growth is all we are thinking about" and that the company was "getting too close to the money", prioritizing advertising revenue over the user experience.

2. What was the objective of the "yellow code" created by Google executives?

• The objective of the "yellow code" was to increase the number of searches on Google, with the ultimate goal of finding a way for users to see more ads to earn more advertising money.

3. How did the email chain between Google executives come to light?

• The email chain came to light due to the monopoly case brought against Google by the U.S. Department of Justice.

4. What is the main argument made by journalist Ed Zitron in his newsletter "The Man Who Killed Google Search"?

• Zitron argues that Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's former head of ads, led a "coup" to run Google Search, and that this led to the deterioration of Google's search results.

5. How has Google responded to the claims made in Zitron's newsletter?

• Google has issued a clear message stating that "the organic results you see in Search are not affected by our ads systems."

[02] The Growing Controversy over Google's Search Results

1. What has put Google's leadership in search engines into question?

• The arrival of AI and the deterioration of Google's search responses have put its leadership in search engines into question.

2. What warning did Prabhakar Raghavan, Google's senior vice president, give to Google employees in a meeting?

• Raghavan warned that the company had to brace for change, saying "It's not like life is going to be hunky-dory forever."

3. What is the main argument made by a former Google engineer in the Hacker News forum?

• The former engineer argues that the deterioration of Google's search results is due to increasing complexity, not prioritizing money, and that the loss of Amit Singhal, who led Search until 2016, was a significant factor.

4. What other issue is mentioned as contributing to the deterioration of Google's search results?

• The article mentions the thousands of SEO specialists who try to trick or confuse the Google algorithm to achieve advertising revenue or links to e-commerce platforms, leading to a rise in untrustworthy search results.