cross-posted from [email protected]

• Google may be altering billions of search queries daily to generate results that increase purchases.
• Testimony in an antitrust case revealed an internal Google slide about changes to its search algorithm, involving “semantic matching” to generate more commercial results.
• Google covertly changes user queries, substituting them with ones that generate more revenue for the company and display shopping-oriented results.
• This manipulation benefits Google’s profits but harms search quality and raises advertiser costs.
• Despite legal challenges, Google’s market dominance allows it to continue these practices, impacting users’ ability to access unbiased information.