Trend to not use google

[Karin1984]

Not just Reddit and Facebook, here it is YouTube Insta and Tiktok which are used by the younger generation to find information. And those are popular because they are visual mediums. If you want to know how to change a tire, actual skills, it's easier to do when you have a video.

And let's face it, there are plenty of questions asked here on the Dis which can be answered by going to Google or to use the website of the company.

How often I say on the DLP board: "have you checked the website?"

I think that people have gotten insecure, do not trust themselves to interpret information correctly. They need confirmation or external validatie that what they have read/seen is right.

 

[Christine]

Did you not read the OP?

I mean asking on Reddit or Facebook what time the library is open until rather than checking the library website.
That sort of thing.

Pretty certain you can go to the library website via any search engine.

I'm with you on this one. I am a somewhat heavy Reddit user for my local area sub as well as for my employer. Reddit skews MUCH younger than me and, I agree, the questions they ask are ridiculous. I have to agree with other posters here that some people are just looking for a place to ponder outloud all of their random thoughts.

For the employer-driven Reddit sub, many questions are *easily* found in very easy to find sites. In fact, I wouldn't even trust the info given by another Reddit user. On the employer site, It's clear and gives all the answers (similar to the example given on retirement questions). I feel like saying: If you can't find out the most basic information on your own, we probably shouldn't be employing you.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You know what's more frustrating to me is when something doesn't have their own website and only operates via Google maps style info or a FB page if they even have one. A library is more likely to have their own website but I've encountered others in growing numbers that don't especially restaurants or online retailers. It costs money to run and manage a website and I'll assume they don't have that or they don't have the staff. Another frustrating point is when their website if they have one doesn't have their operating hours but Google does or sometimes they don't and the you just do a Google search to see if someone knows (sometimes that's international travel where calling isn't so easy). In some ways businesses can teach people to search elsewhere if enough times you go to the source and it hadn't been updated or the information is lacking.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I will say one of fastest and most efficient ways of getting a hold of a business especially when you've ordered something and have questions or issues is via FB messenger, a complaint Twitter is a good one.

 

[Jennasis]

This is not new nor exclusive to Google.

 

[Smugpugmug]

In my anecdotal experience, it isn't an age specific thing. I've noticed that people of all ages do this. I'm on Disney and Japan trip planning Facebook pages and it's a daily occurrence where people ask questions that would take 0.1 seconds to find the answer on Google. They also tend to get defensive when you point this out. To me it seems like people want to contribute to these groups and feel included, but asking "When can I book ADRs?" isn't adding anything when 10 other people asked that today.

You know what's more frustrating to me is when something doesn't have their own website and only operates via Google maps style info or a FB page if they even have one. A library is more likely to have their own website but I've encountered others in growing numbers that don't especially restaurants or online retailers. It costs money to run and manage a website and I'll assume they don't have that or they don't have the staff. Another frustrating point is when their website if they have one doesn't have their operating hours but Google does or sometimes they don't and the you just do a Google search to see if someone knows (sometimes that's international travel where calling isn't so easy). In some ways businesses can teach people to search elsewhere if enough times you go to the source and it hadn't been updated or the information is lacking.

I've noticed this too and many times the information on Google isn't correct so in that case I think it's okay to ask for an updated answer. For example I've seen restaurants post incorrect hours or don't inform people in any way that they're closed on Thanksgiving or any other holiday.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

DH is definitely the type of person who does things like that. He will also ask me what is the weather today? I will literally say "ALEXA, what's the weather today?" and then turn around and repeat what she says. He hasn't caught on that he can just ask Alexa directly. This has been going on for years.

Also, he considers himself a "Facebook sports reporter" to provide those seeking live updates (and commentary) during ballgames.

 

[kdonnel]

I think it is time to start teaching how to use the internet in school.

It is just assumed people figure it out, and most do, but so many don't have the skills needed to effectively find information.

Decades ago, as kids we were taught how use libraries. How to find the information we needed using the card catalog.

People need to learn how to formulate queries that return the desired information.

I think in the case of the OP, there are two explanations for why people are asking so many questions on social media.

1. They are lazy and it is easier to have someone else find the information.
2. They know they do not have the knowhow to find the needed information and are asking others for help.

 

[Meriweather]

This is the only social website I use.....no Facebook, no Twitter, nothing.
I Google or use a website

 

[CdnCarrie]

I think it is time to start teaching how to use the internet in school.

It is just assumed people figure it out, and most do, but so many don't have the skills needed to effectively find information.

Decades ago, as kids we were taught how use libraries. How to find the information we needed using the card catalog.

People need to learn how to formulate queries that return the desired information.

I think in the case of the OP, there are two explanations for why people are asking so many questions on social media.

1. They are lazy and it is easier to have someone else find the information.
2. They know they do not have the knowhow to find the needed information and are asking others for help.

Students still need to be taught how to search the library online catalogue and other databases.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Not just Reddit and Facebook, here it is YouTube Insta and Tiktok which are used by the younger generation to find information. And those are popular because they are visual mediums. If you want to know how to change a tire, actual skills, it's easier to do when you have a video.

And let's face it, there are plenty of questions asked here on the Dis which can be answered by going to Google or to use the website of the company.

How often I say on the DLP board: "have you checked the website?"

I think that people have gotten insecure, do not trust themselves to interpret information correctly. They need confirmation or external validatie that what they have read/seen is right.

I was just listening to a podcast where one of the hosts said that TikTok is the #1 search engine for over over half of Gen Z. Here's an article that seems to confirm this (from a quick Google search, ironically):

https://newslab.org/survey-51-of-gen-z-choose-tiktok-not-google-for-search/

 

[john7994]

This is the only social website I use.....no Facebook, no Twitter, nothing.
I Google or use a website

Then you still have a chance to be free … please. tell them about us on the other side …

 

[LuvOrlando]

That would have nothing to do with google but with the company running the website.

I keep our website updated at work.

Have you mentioned to all these companies that their website is out of date?

Have you contacted your local library to tell them the hours are wrong?

Since Google doesn't verify, what good is it? I need to verify anyway so how is this an assist? What it has become now is just a big digital telephone directory or thing that helps me sometimes ask better questions which helps me decide what I need to ask when I call after wrangling 10 min with a bot to get a human. Google is a basic index now.

Old Google used to be very useful, I had hoped the new AI platform would reintroduce the flat out data dump and let me do the sifting, when I tried using it I discovered it does not do this, lots of info is gated so it is not viable either.

No, I do not tell the businesses, not my job. If the people in the business can't even be bothered with Googling themselves I doubt they care or would welcome me telling them they aren't doing a great job.

 

[_19disnA]

Funny how some seem so inept using a computer, but then are skillful enough to find this site, create a profile and start really basic threads of questions where the answer is readily available online...............LOL.

 

[john7994]

Funny how some seem so inept using a computer, but then are skillful enough to find this site, create a profile and start really basic threads of questions where the answer is readily available online...............LOL.

Almost like if you typed the thread title as a search phrase? I.e “Tell me/Talk about xxxx ….”

 

[CdnCarrie]

Since Google doesn't verify, what good is it? I need to verify anyway so how is this an assist? What it has become now is just a big digital telephone directory or thing that helps me sometimes ask better questions which helps me decide what I need to ask when I call after wrangling 10 min with a bot to get a human. Google is a basic index now.

Old Google used to be very useful, I had hoped the new AI platform would reintroduce the flat out data dump and let me do the sifting, when I tried using it I discovered it does not do this, lots of info is gated so it is not viable either.

No, I do not tell the businesses, not my job. If the people in the business can't even be bothered with Googling themselves I doubt they care or would welcome me telling them they aren't doing a great job.

I'm not following. IT"S NOTHING TO DO WITH GOOGLE! The library maintains it's website. Google does not play with their website. I use HTML to edit our website. People have full time jobs to help maintain company websites. Google doesn't do this.

You might use google to look up XYC City Libraries but once you get the website it has nothing to do with Google.

 

[GreatLakes]

People confuse Google with the search engine of the same name. Being online and not using Google (or more accurately the parent company Alphabet) is almost impossible. I took a look at the source for this page and noticed the following Alphabet/Google services in use just looking at the first few thousand lines:

Google Tag Manager/Google Tags
Ads by Google
Doubleclick
Google API for font management

And that ignores the possibility that these boards use one of Google's CDN networks or web hosting, that they are using an Android phone, Chrome browser, or any of the Google services like photos, gmail, or gdrive.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Maybe I should have left Google out of the title. I meant search engines in general.

 

[Genie+]

I think for some of the ‘easy’ questions that some people respond with just a generic link, there’s frequently important detail(s) that familiar experienced people can share. So instead of trudging through a learning curve, they can start out with pertinent details and go from there. It’s a short cut. The advantage is often efficiency.

What are the museum hours? Somebody experienced chimes in with the hours and adds that the attached planetarium closes earlier twice a week.

Take WDW for example. Extra Entry times are posted, but the 4 parks don’t all operate the same. HS is known to start letting people on RotR earlier than the 30 minute posted. Someone with actual experience may be quick to point that out to you.

 

[_19disnA]

I think many people use the term "google it" to generically mean doing a search whether or not you are actually using a google product.