14 DAY TRIAL // Google has a lot of enemies all around the world, most of which actually have quite a bit to benefit off the company. Even so, some of the companies that are already making quite a bit of issues for Google in the European antitrust case and they’re now taking things to yet another level.
Gathered under the name “Focus on the User,” a jibe at one of Google’s own business mottos, a group that includes Yelp and TripAdvisor has launched a software tool that works on Chrome. The extension uses Google’s algorithms to put more focus on third-party sites that are included in the top search results while using Chrome.
This is a way for the group to protest against Google because it believes that sites aren’t promoted fairly in the search results.
Basically, the app rearranges things and lets you see Google without all the additional filtering the company does to deliver what it feels are better results.
“When you search for “hotel berlin” today, Google.co.uk injects a map on the right side of the screen showing locations of Berlin hotels. Having a map appear for local searches makes sense. But rather than connecting the map pins to HolidayCheck, a leading hotel review provider founded in Germany, the map is hard-coded to Google+’s review ecosystem,” reads the extension’s description.
Using Google+ content is what bothers them
It then goes on to say that the search engine doesn’t produce the most relevant results, since HolidayCheck almost always ranks higher than Google+ content. By limiting the search to only two review ecosystems makes it possible to see how they rank comparatively, according to Google’s own relevance-based general search algorithm, the app’s developers state.
Basically, their issue is with the fact that Google gives Google+ more relevance than various other social review sites, like…well, Yelp and TripAdvisor.
Google has explained countless times that it wants to make sure the results displayed are backed by a community. It’s certainly a lot easier for the company to scour Google+ than it is to get relevant, rankable information from these other platforms. Furthermore, Google will also show you different results if your friends on the platform ranked one location or another based on the idea that if they’re your friends, you know their tastes and therefore if their opinions should be embraced or ignored.
“Given we know it’s possible to power local answers with the organic algorithm and consumers prefer it, why is Google requiring users to install special software to get the answers they want?” a spokesperson for Focus on the User told CNET.
