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Annoyed Redditors tanking Google Search results illustrates perils of AI scrapers | "Spreading misinformation suddenly becomes a noble goal," Redditor says. (arstechnica.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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A trend on Reddit that sees Londoners giving false restaurant recommendations in order to keep their favorites clear of tourists and social media influencers highlights the inherent flaws of Google Search’s reliance on Reddit and Google's AI Overview.

Apparently, some London residents are getting fed up with social media influencers whose reviews make long lines of tourists at their favorite restaurants, sometimes just for the likes. Christian Calgie, a reporter for London-based news publication Daily Express, pointed out this trend on X yesterday, noting the boom of Redditors referring people to Angus Steakhouse, a chain restaurant, to combat it.

Again, at this point the Angus Steakhouse hype doesn’t appear to have made it into AI Overview. But it is appearing in Search results. And while this is far from being a dangerous attempt to manipulate search results or AI algorithms, it does highlight the pitfalls of Google results becoming dependent on content generated by users who could very easily have intentions other than providing helpful information. This is also far from the first time that online users, including on platforms outside of Reddit, have publicly declared plans to make inaccurate or misleading posts in an effort to thwart AI scrapers.

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[–] shoulderoforion@fedia.io 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's gamesmanship, the system is what the system is, the more popular a product or service is, the more people will want it, and the less it's available and the more is charged for it, the same goes in reverse, the only danger is, when you start the negative whirlpool there's always the chance the product and service you like will get wiped out and will no longer be able to stay on the market

[–] conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

It's not "gamesmanship". It's being a terrible person. Bad reviews can and do make it incredibly difficult for businesses to be successful and there is no excuse for actively sabotaging businesses to keep them to yourself.

You're playing games with people's livelihood and the most likely outcome of a concerted effort to "keep them low profile" is that "chance" that you wreck their business.

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 17 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Unless I misread, the point isn't leaving bad reviews, it's making fake good reviews for a chain restaurant.

The way it's being done is intended to stymie outsiders from crowding out locals.

Now, I agree that it is going to make competition harder for the non-chain restaurants the fake reviews are supposed to be isolating from tourist and traveller customers. It's still a shitty move that hurts the local businesses. But it isn't the same thing as actively trying to tank them. It's a quibble about wording though, not a disagreement with your actual point.

[–] FarceOfWill@infosec.pub 6 points 3 weeks ago

If someone sees an Angus steakhouse and actually goes in and buys food they must be blind. It's the most obvious looking tourist trap of a chain you can imagine.

It perches itself on corners in busy parts of London next to major tube stations and preys on the dimmest and laziest tourists. It's genuinely worrying so many people fall for it and go in, reviews or not.

Recommending it is more of a joke than a serious attempt to convince anyone it's good.

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

So maybe save some of that anger for the giant corporations that pay beaucoup bucks to float their shitty ghost kitchens to the top of search results, using the same gamesmanship. The money they spend has far more influence than individuals do.

And with all due respect if "success" in being a restaurateur is mostly catering to influencers who care more about how your food looks than tastes and are often wasteful and don't even eat any of it, all while overworking the restaurant staff to make it happen... Fuck success.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 2 points 3 weeks ago

And with all due respect if "success" in being a restaurateur is mostly catering to influencers who care more about how your food looks than tastes and are often wasteful and don't even eat any of it, all while overworking the restaurant staff to make it happen... Fuck success.

Makes you wonder if a "Take a selfie with our prop food" menu item that was £2-3 would be a good idea. Deal with influencer crap quickly, still make a bit of money off it, and keep the actual customers who want to eat your food happy.

[–] shoulderoforion@fedia.io 7 points 3 weeks ago

and good reviews which make a product, service or establishment in greater demand, allow and promote price gouging with no regard for affordability