Most people use Google for searching. But since they started, they have changed a lot. What you usually find first, is advertising for products that someone wants you to buy. So you start to scroll down until you find something that seems to be what you are really looking for.
Often, the site you visit does not really provide you with good insights. It is just clickbait. Long text with a lot of words but few original thoughts. Instead there are plenty of products you can buy. Again, not what you are looking for. Sometimes just an echo of your last search. These products are also well placed by google – paid content.
You are not paying Google with money for their great efforts to make the internet searchable. Instead, you are paying with your attention and time. Which Google is selling to whoever pays for it.
I think this is crucial: if they get my attention, will they be able to change my opinion and intentions? Make me buy something I did not intend to buy? Make me believe something I did not want to believe? Something that might even be wrong?
I guess, yes. (I worked in marketing and I believe I did this to our customers.)
This is why the idea of de-googling resonates with me. And I recently tried some alternative search engine.
