> The once ubiquitous phrase “let me Google that for you” is now meaningless. You are as likely to return incorrect information as you are complete fabrications
To me this came when I realised that SEO this and SEO that SEO here and SEO there was as innate as googling for answers. And is still incomprehensible to me how people can argue with serious face for actively and forcefully distorting the search results that they so eagerly want to build their goodwill on top of.
Machines only taking over the killing of the internet search with incredible efficiency.
My favorite example is if I search Google for "tide me over vs tie me over" it comes up with "Tie me over is correct". Not only is this wrong, but if you click the link, the source itself says it is wrong! The source is literally on the importance of fact checking, and Google is pulling a quote that the article uses as an example of an incorrect fact.
Google:
WARNING: It is a common misconception that the phrase “tie me over” is actually pronounced “tide me over.” Some even go so far as to say the “tide” refers to the ebb and flow of hunger, but this is not the case. Rest assured “tie me over” is correct.
Interestingly enough, I searched for the same query myself (signed out) and it came up with
> “Tied over” is a misspelling of “tide over.” Tied means to attach, fasten, or bind something, while a tide is the rising and falling of the sea that takes place twice a day in relation to the pull of the moon's gravity.
So, it did come up with a correct answer... but the answer is to a completely different question. Though the "actual source" you used was the second result.
To me this came when I realised that SEO this and SEO that SEO here and SEO there was as innate as googling for answers. And is still incomprehensible to me how people can argue with serious face for actively and forcefully distorting the search results that they so eagerly want to build their goodwill on top of.
Machines only taking over the killing of the internet search with incredible efficiency.