Trend to not use google

[kdonnel]

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.

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-taser-xerox-brand-names-generic-words-2018-5

 

[trompettecon]

Has anyone notice with rise of social media that especially younger people are not using google/websites for information?

Today alone I saw 2 people asking about opening hours on Reddit and Facebook. For places with websites - library and gym.

Lots of other times recently too. Why go post a question on Reddit rather then checking the company’s website?

Have you noticed this?

My favorites are ¨what's the weather like today¨ or ¨how long does it take to get to ____¨ Learning how to do research, whether library or web, should be mandated in high school.

 

[RedHead0186]

My favorite is when people ask a question (like in a social media group) and get a huuuuuge variety of answers for a question that has one 'right' answer. One good example is park reservations/hopping rules. Yes, they are confusing, but the website does spell it out. Someone will ask a question about whether they need a reservation and/or can hop in a particular situation and will get a gamut of answers. Usually over half of them are wrong, and now the question-asker has to sort through to figure out what is right when they could have just gone to the website.

 

[tx911]

I try to avoid Google if at all possible.

I use DuckDuckGo for internet searches.

 

[john7994]

I try to avoid Google if at all possible.

I use DuckDuckGo for internet searches.

Is there a “why” to that suggestion? I have seen the ads - but might be helpful for folks to know why you feel that way.

 

[john7994]

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.

Reminds me, I need to epson some of my important papers that I need to retain for my records

 

[tx911]

Is there a “why” to that suggestion? I have seen the ads - but might be helpful for folks to know why you feel that way.

Idk, I've never trusted that company. I quit using my gmail account too, and never log in if I use YouTube. All the data mining just rubs me the wrong way, even though I know it's everywhere nowadays.

 

[tx911]

Idk, I've never trusted that company. I quit using my gmail account too, and never log in if I use YouTube. All the data mining just rubs me the wrong way, even though I know it's everywhere nowadays.

Btw, my kids always say "search it up" when they tell me to look something up on the internet. I kind of prefer that to "google it"

 

[Smugpugmug]

Is there a “why” to that suggestion? I have seen the ads - but might be helpful for folks to know why you feel that way.

I think for some people they're concerned with Google selling their info to advertisers (Facebook does this too).

 

[CdnCarrie]

I think for some people they're concerned with Google selling their info to advertisers (Facebook does this too).

But you could use another search engine. Or what is the point? Just take down all websites as it's too dangerous to be online to find information? Again I'm asking about searching for specific stuff like hours at the local library.

 

[Smugpugmug]

But you could use another search engine. Or what is the point? Just take down all websites as it's too dangerous to be online to find information? Again I'm asking about searching for specific stuff like hours at the local library.

A lot of people I know use VPNs. My dad does too.

I understand your question; was just explaining why some people are wary about using Google products.

 

[tx911]

But you could use another search engine. Or what is the point? Just take down all websites as it's too dangerous to be online to find information? Again I'm asking about searching for specific stuff like hours at the local library.

I just use DuckDuckGo for a search engine instead of Google. If you go into your browser setting it will be one of the options for Search.

 

[tvguy]

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 never expected Google to verify anything. I expected them to give me a list of items related to my search, I can skip over the sponsored links and then look at what the source is of a specific link and make a judgement about if it is a credible source.
As other's have mentioned, a lot of businesses have gone to Facebook instead of having their own website, ($$$$) but many never update their website. The only time I ever mentioned to an employee that information from a business' website was not updated or was wrong, the employee said she didn't even know they had a website!
My neighbor is a contractor and he scaled his company website way back because the leads it generated were all from outside his service area, sometimes by thousands of miles. He said they were all a waste of time.

 

[john7994]

A lot of people I know use VPNs. My dad does too.

I understand your question; was just explaining why some people are wary about using Google products.

I get what they have been selling as an alternative to Google - but being the trusting soul that I am - I want proof

 

[tcufrog]

I run a STEM company library these days, and other than some student interns, the folks I serve all have PhD's; though the bulk of them are under age 30. Surveys I've done tell me that my population thinks that any search that takes more than 3 clicks is too cumbersome.

That's actually a huge part of the issue; the clicks. Social media posts take only one, whereas a website search normally takes at least 2, and probably 4. Clicks are more difficult to do on a phone screen, which feeds this frustration. (Don't ask me why 4-5 clicks is supposedly harder than typing out a post; I can only report what I've encountered. They complain about clicking down levels, but not about filling in search blanks.) Trouble is, with Google's algorithms, the most reliable results usually do not turn up on the first or even second page; you usually need to click through to the third to get a solid result, but few people bother.

It's actually quite easy to get past Google's result rankings if you know how to properly structure a search, but very few people bother to learn the simple tricks. The biggest issue that I encounter is a tendency to give up too easily, which usually stems from arrogance; in my profession we like to say that the user assumption is that if you cannot find it in less than 3 minutes, then it must not exist; when the truth is that it's more likely that a) you're looking in the wrong place or with the wrong search terms, or b) what you're looking for is behind a paywall. (Paywalls are another reason why people don't want to bother to search; some assume that they are likely to run into one on any non-social site. That's a big reason why so many people fall for online misinformation, but I digress ...)

I made darn sure that my own kids are efficient and thorough searchers, but it's a skill that I find most schools really don't teach very well now. They teach kids how to code, but not how to search, which, IMO, is half-baked; if you can't search for spit, then you're not going to be very good at UI design.

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.

My favorites are ¨what's the weather like today¨ or ¨how long does it take to get to ____¨ Learning how to do research, whether library or web, should be mandated in high school.

As a former public/college librarian and current high school parent, I'm disturbed by how many schools don't have librarians anymore. Part of a librarian's job is to teach information literacy and this education is needed more than ever. When I was a college librarian I considered that integral to my position and was saddened by how clueless the student population was.

 

[brockash]

Not exactly the same, but similar. I belong to a Kentucky teacher group on Facebook. I can’t tell you how many people post asking for retirement information, rather than simply going to the retirement website. It’s endless. I don’t get it.

Ehhh...I think this may be a little different. Figuring out retirement stuff can be a bit overwhelming and confusing. - I'm not familiar with KY in particular, but I'm guessing they're thinking they'll get a better understanding coming from ppl. who have gone through it as opposed to a manual that was written by ppl. who typically aren't sure themselves of the real process.

 

[Southernmiss]

I had an older gentleman on the phone tell me today another local church was not found on google and could I give him their #.

I googled and gave him the number right away.

People of all ages are just lazy.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I had an older gentleman on the phone tell me today another local church was not found on google and could I give him their #.

I googled and gave him the number right away.

People of all ages are just lazy.

If they were older it can also be not knowing how to fully search well and then choosing not to learn. Kinda why you see people post to FB what they were searching for. Or you'll see "I don't want to see this why am I seeing this" I'll see things on Nextdoor about how to fine tune settings but people approach it in an exasperated way as if they expect to just comment on a random person's post and poof they won't get notified any longer about people living in this neighborhood.

My mother-in-law will use voice searching now a lot on her phone. Not because she can't see but we think more because she's not as good at searching on google and when she does search she has a hard time overall finding legit websites. Also Google Maps is our go to to find stuff but we've noticed that isn't as utilized as much depending on the generation. On the other hand my mom is the same generation as my mother-in-law and almost overuses Google Maps lol. Like I'll tell her I'm going to so and so place and she'll start to map it out verbally to me and I'm like "yeah mom I'll look it up" so it's almost like she forgets I'm well aware of how to find a location but at least searching is less of an issue to her.

 

[Southernmiss]

It was an easy search. He didn't take the time to read.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

A lot of people I know use VPNs. My dad does too.

I understand your question; was just explaining why some people are wary about using Google products.

VPN's were a lifesaver when I lived in Europe - it was the only way I could watch Sons of Anarchy on Hulu!