Chris Trottier"We can't do anything about Google's indexing about the Fediverse, so we're giving them a pass."
No, you can do something about Google: build better Fediverse search.
By the way, the window of opportunity to build better Fediverse search than Google is closing every day.
Each day that Fediverse search is not built is another day Google extends its monopoly into the Fediverse.
What good is de-centralization if centralization occurs via search?
It's all fun and games until Google monetizes Fediverse search results.
Mike McCue@atomicpoet they already are.
@mmccue Exactly.
Jim Breeds@atomicpoet
That's the whole point of a search engine, isn't it? To show us stuff we're interested in for the price of an advert?
That's the whole point of a search engine, isn't it? To show us stuff we're interested in for the price of an advert?
@jimbreeds No, that's not the point of a search engine.
@atomicpoet
Well, that's why I use search engines.
Building a "better fediverse search" implies that the user is already in the fediverse, though, doesn't it? Surely we want search engines to bring people here for stuff they are interested in, and then they may stay?
Well, that's why I use search engines.
Building a "better fediverse search" implies that the user is already in the fediverse, though, doesn't it? Surely we want search engines to bring people here for stuff they are interested in, and then they may stay?
@jimbreeds That's one motivation.
Derek Powazek 🐐@atomicpoet it’s only a matter of time. It’s just like the time before the blog indexing began.
Bill Seitz@fraying @atomicpoet have any instances set robot exclusion rules? Has Google honored them?
Enrique Barcelli@atomicpoet not sure why we should care too much about this... 🤔
If they want to invest their money, time and resources in indexing the #Fediverse instead of us doing it (and spend the money, time and resources... for free!)... why shall we worry about it?
@kikobar Because centralization is awful, and so are tech monopolies.
This is why I care.
@atomicpoet @kikobar
My question is, how is a decentralized search going to solve this problem?
will continue indexing regardless.
My question is, how is a decentralized search going to solve this problem?
will continue indexing regardless.@atomicpoet @kikobar
in fact, they might even start using whatever fedi search the community builds to bolster their search results.
in fact, they might even start using whatever fedi search the community builds to bolster their search results.
thegardendude 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🇵🇸@atomicpoet Pardon the probably-dumb question but…agreed on the need for Fediverse search, but how does it stop Google from indexing it? Isn’t Google just going to index stuff anyway? I’m not aware of a way to opt-out of it.
@thegardendude Nothing can stop Google indexing the Fediverse. That's the point.
vidak@atomicpoet @thegardendude not sure about this, but i think you can set something in your instance's admin features about whether or not you want it indexed by search engines
@vidak @atomicpoet I see a setting under preferences where I can opt out of search engine indexing for my personal account
@thegardendude @atomicpoet oh yeah, that seems promising