Randahl Fink

#offtopic

Google has fallen ill.

I am trying to order a phone accessory from Sweden, but when I search for this product, instead of normal search results, Google serves page after page of links to the same website, kamda.se.

I have a feeling Kamda must have A LOT of traffic this week.

Has anyone else seen this weird Google behaviour?

May 27 at 3:12pmIvory for Mac
Show threadTuchowskiMay 27
@randahl I read that Google now only provides AI generated content instead of real search results and links...
Show threadCrystalMay 27
@adipoeserPursch @randahl The search results from google have been unhelpful for me for at least four or five years. I don't know why it doesn't work, but I heard advertising revenue was a factor in determining search results.
Show threadArthur van der HargMay 27
@randahl SEO singularity achieved!
Show threadGrantMay 27

@randahl

I don't use Google, but in DuckDuck you can click the 3-dots and block up to 5 sites from results.

Show threadJohnMay 27

@randahl I tried:

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=ulanzi+ma56&as_epq=&as_eq=&as_sitesearch=&as_filetype=&as_qdr=&lr=&cr=countrySE&tbs=&authuser=0

And got similar. No idea how many are supposed to be in SE.

Ulanzi.com might be HK (Hong Kong?)

Bevor Sie zur Google Suche weitergehen

Show threadRandahl FinkMay 27
@buckfiftyseven yes, I am avoiding the Ulanzi sites because they are not EU based, so tariffs will apply.
Show threadAurimas ČerniusMay 27
@randahl I moved away from Google a decade ago. Using ecosia.org now, used duckduckgo.com in between.
Show threadBiscuitMay 27
@randahl I'm not sure why you're restricting your search to the .se domain, or how popular that domain is within Sweden; but isn't it possible that Kamda is the only retailer with a .se domain who carries the MA56?
Show threadRandahl FinkMay 27
@BiscuitTaylor actually, the .se domain is the most common for Swedish shops. While .us is not popular for American shops because you have a tradition for using .com, European shops most often use the country code domain.
Show threadFox Trenton 🎱May 27
@randahl Moved to duck duck go long ago. You can have with an ai layer, if you want (washes your ip) or noai.duckduckgo.com, etc
Show threadChuckMay 27
@randahl What does it do without the 'site:se' constraint?
Show threadRandahl FinkMay 27
@ChuckMcManis that normally limits search result to Swedish sites.
Show threadChuckMay 27
@randahl I understand that, sorry I wasn't more clear. Back when I was at Google, search queries with "advanced constraints" of any type went through a different flow than general search. I was trying to differentially debug if the hack was on the adwords side (ulanzi, ma56) or on the advanced flow side. I think it was in 2021 or 2022 where Google had allowed adword spend to capture the entire page.
Show threadHerman E.May 27
@randahl
I avoid big tech.
Use Brave Search or Ecosia.
Show threadMarc 🐷🌏🍉May 27

@hyevans @randahl
Ecosia is Bing/Google.

@Mojeek is an interesting alternative from the UK if you can get used to plain old keyword search, instead of semantic search.

If I'm correct they have currently indexed about 9 billion pages.

Show threadMojeek Search EngineMay 28
@marc_eu @hyevans @randahl
Indeed, our proprietary search index is continually growing (currently 10B+ webpages) so similar to Google's primary index.
We’re also proud to be one of the most sustainable search engines with 100% renewable energy powering search queries since 2013 💚
Show threadSamuelJohnsonMay 27
@randahl Haven't used Google search in years. Still use Android but hope to get off it, maybe next year. (To Linux phone capable of running Android apps)
Show threadAerofreak | USA WTF?May 27

@randahl

You may try this one:
https://search.brave.com/search?q=ulanz%20ma56%20site%3Ase

#offtopic

Brave Search

Search the Web. Privately. Truly useful results, AI-powered answers, & more. All from an independent index. No profiling, no bias, no Big Tech.

Brave Search
Show threadJohnnieMacMay 27
@randahl I also moved to dd-Go a while back to avoid that Goofle behaviour. Side benefit is I am not presented with creepy ads based on what I looked up in the last two weeks.
Show threadBoabMay 27
@randahl good old (don't be evil) Google would let you block servers from your results. I would recommend a search engine that still let's you do that ;)
Show threadDwampre ScorrigankMay 27

@randahl To me (non-expert) looks like someone has discovered a new SEO hack, maybe.

Reminds me of the days when google page rank was based on links, so dozes of right wing fake news blogs all published the same article and linked to each other, filling the top several results pages with that same information and falsely creating the impression of agreement.

(and then google updated their algos to block that abuse and republicans accused them of persecution for not pushing their lies)

Show threadFelix DenbrattMay 27
@randahl might be a sign that it's time to switch search engine?
Try for example DuckDuckGo or Qwant or Ecosia
Show threadh0nza 🌄 🏊🚴May 27
@[email protected] time to switch search engine. maybe noai.duckduckgo.com or search.brave.com or ecosia. just go through them and decide for yoursrlf
Show threadBig Belgian Bopper 🔻🐸May 27
@randahl using ecosia and duckduck. So can’t/won’t help here. Sorry 😉
Show threadKalle KniiviläMay 27
@randahl Same search works fine on Startpage.
Show threadLarsNygardMay 27

@randahl

Six months ago I often had to switch from duck duck to Google to get good results, but lately I have to switch from Google to duck duck to get results. Feels like something changed.

Also YouTube seems a little off these days. Not to be paranoid, but if they want to cencor some content, they will implement changes slowly

It's kind of random what search engine I use. Often I just ask copilot instead, but thats when I intentionally wants an AI result.

AI is great when you're looking for information on something you just vaguely can express. Like an old movie you can't remember the name of.

But Lois Rossman had a video recently where he had discovered that to get his repair business appear in google search, he had to use tha ai generated SEO texts or something.

Maybe AI has begun altering the search results to slowly make us all into slaves.

Show threadRenéMay 27
@randahl ise #qwant or #startpage
Show threadRandahl FinkMay 27
@muzicofiel ???
Show threadRenéMay 28
@randahl #offtopic don’t use Google search but an alternative I ment to say 😉
Show threadRandahl FinkMay 28
@muzicofiel oh! Yes, I should.
Show threadNicole ParsonsJun 4

@randahl

Google Search is largely worthless now.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/29/saudi-crown-prince-socially-acceptable-war-criminal-enjoys-us-tour-hosted-americas

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-06/google-thiel-stand-out-in-saudi-prince-s-silicon-valley-tour

When a corporation gets investment from a murderous petrostate despot, the #enshittification is inevitable.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/02/as-internet-enshittification-marches-on-here-are-some-of-the-worst-offenders/

https://www.theregister.com/ai-ml/2026/05/25/google-is-cannibalizing-the-web-to-feed-ai/5244641

https://thewalrus.ca/cory-doctorow-on-why-the-internet-feels-so-broken/

https://doctorow.medium.com/https-pluralistic-net-2024-04-04-teach-me-how-to-shruggie-kagi-caaa88c221f2

https://www.moderntimes.blog/p/the-cauldron-and-the-commons-will

https://www.thestreet.com/technology/googles-ai-search-feature-is-driving-users-towards-alternatives-like-duckduckgo

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/the-age-of-enshittification

https://doctorow.medium.com/the-specific-process-by-which-google-enshittified-its-search-1ffd3b02d205

1/

Saudi Crown Prince--'Socially Acceptable War Criminal'--Enjoys US Tour Hosted by America's Elite | Common Dreams

Despite public relations blitz, Saudi monarchy "retains an atrocious human rights record and the situation has only deteriorated since the crown prince was appointed."

Common Dreams
Show threadNicole ParsonsJun 4

2/

Note: Google search freaks out about certain search terms like "Koch + clarence+thomas"

... "Our Systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network

I am not a bot." Followed by a recaptcha and a lengthy search string.

Is Koch Network paying to scrub their names from search results?

Or are news organizations refusing to write about the oligarchs anymore?
I get the same few links and nothing new.

Show threadDebbieJun 4
@Npars01 loads of people are having trouble with google right now. I think they're updating their system.