Smaller Search Engines Losing Out Over Android in E.U. Search Bidding
engine
10:58 am on Sep 29, 2020 (gmt 0)
As you probably remember, Google in Europe is selling the default search position for all new installs of search on Android phones to the highest bidders. Google always remains one of the options in all cases in each country.
The latest winners are on this list October 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020 [android.com...]
The objective of this process is meant to help level the playing field of search in europe, however, it seems some of the smaller players are getting edged out as they don't have such deep pockets as others. I'm not sure this was what the E.U. meant to happen, and I suspect it'll end up trying to gain a level playing field.
If no method was specified in the decision, it seems that this could be expected. It would have been nice to offer a Search Choices site where all search options available were listed for users to select as they please. A directory of options, preferably at the expense of the defendant.
engine
11:25 am on Sep 30, 2020 (gmt 0)
It was a clever move by google and not anticipated by the lawmakers, whos intention was to level the playing field, but the smaller engines stand little chance with this existing format. I agree, you should be given the choice without bidding, and it should be available all the time so you don't get stuck with one company.
brotherhood of LAN
3:24 pm on Sep 30, 2020 (gmt 0)
I'd posted the winners here, kind of made sense to put it in "Alternative Search Engines" given the context of the screen. [webmasterworld.com...]
Seems like no one likes the auction one bit. Bing would naturally outbid DDG since DDG only takes a portion of the Bing ad revenue. DDG have a good rant about it here: [spreadprivacy.com...] but of course, they won't say anything bad about Bing.
They do raise good points though. A company that ignores privacy to maximise CPM will always be able to outbid competitors. The barrier to entry to search is high (for search engines with their own index, not so much for metas). Seen a proliferation of "privacy sensitive" search engines that are just using Google or Bing results. All good offering the privacy angle but it's a regurgitation of two points of view about the entire web.
Not sure of what the best solution is for the choice screen but the blind bidding doesn't seem to work.
JorgeV
4:32 pm on Sep 30, 2020 (gmt 0)
Hello,
not anticipated by the lawmakers
I don't know how this is elsewhere, but in EU, this is always the case. They make laws, with a technocratic point of view, often not even made by people who are specialists in the domain. Then private companies come, and easily exploit weaknesses of these laws. History repeats.
tangor
11:13 am on Oct 1, 2020 (gmt 0)
Auctions always have winners and losers. The winners generally have MORE MONEY than the losers. :)
Nature of the beast.
Wonder how the bureaucrats are going to deal with that?
