It's no secret that Google displays advertisements in search results since they are its main source of revenue, but one outraged internet user called out the company for an excessive number of ads.
In the r/Anticonsumption Reddit thread, the original poster vented about their recent experience using the search engine. The OP uploaded three screenshots showing the search results after typing in "rosa pride," and while it was unclear what exactly they were referring to, most of the results appeared to be ads.
"Out of the initial results… all but 2 of the search results are advertisements. No longer a reliable source for news and information. This has been gradually becoming more common. I started noticing a while back," they wrote in the post.
The OP also called out Google for not isolating the search results to the "Shopping" tab, instead allowing them to populate the main page.
While Google has made notable contributions toward a cleaner, safer future by investing in nuclear and solar energy to power its operations, it could do even more for the planet by reducing the number of ads shown in search results. Advertisements have already taken over nearly every facet of our lives, and they've become so pervasive that some people see a staggering 10,000 ads per day, according to Zippia.
Excessive advertising is not only bad for our mental health, per Adfree Cities, but it also promotes overconsumption, which hurts both our wallets and the planet. In our throwaway culture, many consumer goods are tossed in the trash after just a few uses. All those extra items pile up in landfills, contributing to planet-warming pollution as they decompose and leach toxic chemicals into the environment.
Beaches, public bathrooms, fortune cookies, and even airport water fountains are not immune to the barrage of advertisements in the modern world. It seems that with Google's multiple income streams and billions of dollars in revenue per year, it could easily cut back on the ads users see when searching for information.
Other commenters on the post agreed and were equally frustrated.
"I got tired of seeing Sponsored on the entire first page anytime I searched on Google," one person commented.
🗣️ Do you worry about companies having too much of your personal data?
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"Everything is either AI or an ad. It's making me crazy!" another shared.
If you want to be part of the solution, consider shopping at thrift stores more often or checking out resale sites such as Facebook Marketplace or eBay to donate or sell your old stuff.
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