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Have you searched on Google? It’s full of erroneous content



Not in the way you‘re thinking. When googling, you very often get exactly what you searched for. The correctness lies in matching the query to the result, not in the correctness of the result‘s content.


I can think of two prominent counter examples to this:

1. Google often extracts text from websites and displays it as answer. These “answers” are frequently wrong or outdated.

2. If you search translations Google will show an inline result for from Google translate. These translations are often garbage (e.g. gibberish word for word translations of a phrase)

These aren’t query matching problems. These are Google prominently displays incorrect information to the user problems. Reading through the listed results often leads to the correct answer.


> Not in the way you‘re thinking. When googling, you very often get exactly what you searched for

No, you don't get what you searched for, you get what google has decided ranks sufficiently, with, sprinkles of ads. SEO spam has savaged Google.


They've changed a lot in response and I'm sure that if ChatGPT were the future of search people would figure out how to game that too.


This is not hugely different to ChatGPT though? If you search for "how do COVID vaccines and 5G networks let Bill Gates control your mind", you'll get junk results in both Google and ChatGPT.

The difference is that Google gives you a selection of results, while ChatGPT only gives one so it seems more authoritative -- but still not too different from Google's AI-powered info boxes, which also famously get things wrong sometimes.


Oh I don't know. ChatGPT gives unambiguous refutations of all the common lunatic theories I could think of, but Google presents all sides. When I asked Google for the significance of gold fringe on the American flag (answer: no significance) Google gave me 6 results for generic flag information followed by several wackadoodle tales about states of emergency and admiralty law. Only a severely stupid person believes there is a secret set of parallel laws in force when a flag is decorated with fringe, but Google is saying: you figure it out.


The actual answer that ChatGPT gives you:

> There is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines or 5G networks can control anyone's mind. These are baseless and unfounded conspiracy theories that have been debunked by experts and public health officials.

COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and are being distributed around the world in an effort to protect people from the coronavirus and help stop the spread of the disease. These vaccines have undergone rigorous testing and review by regulatory agencies to ensure their safety and effectiveness. They have been shown to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 and saving lives.

5G networks are a new generation of wireless technology that provide faster and more reliable internet connectivity. They are being deployed around the world to improve communication and connectivity for people and businesses. There is no scientific evidence linking 5G technology to any negative health effects or to the ability to control people's minds.

It is important to rely on credible sources of information when seeking to understand complex issues like these. It is not helpful to promote or spread misinformation that can create unnecessary fear or confusion.


Maybe the OP thinks *that* answer is rubbish :)


With the way they put answers to questions right on the page that's not 100% true.




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