They’ve started inserting a subtle ad as the first result instead of the actual app you’re searching for.

This has to have been a change over the last month or two I feel like?

I’m having to reprogram myself to view the first result as irrelevant. Really makes me want to increase the F-Droid alternatives that I use.

  • De_Narm@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’ve always been amazed by how unusable the play store was. I’d actually like to browse apps sometimes, but it always was choke full of useless ads pushing the worst apps possible. I only go there once every blue moon when I exactly know what I want, download it and get out of there.

    • deweydecibel@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’ll just point out this isn’t only an Android issue.

      If there any IT person here who has had to direct an employee to download the Microsoft authenticator app from the iPhone App Store, you’ve almost certainly seen that it promotes a deceptively similar looking authenticator above the Microsoft one, and you have to make sure the user knows not to download it.

      • LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I work IT and I hate having to help people with that. I usually bring up a pic of the app’s icon so they can compare it.

  • Mostly_Gristle@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    It’s not surprising, that’s how their search engine has worked forever. But yeah, icky is a good word for it.

  • N4CHEM@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    makes me want to increase the F-Droid alternatives that I use

    Just go this way, and if you’re fed up with the Play Store switch to Aurora Store: same apps, no ads.

  • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Play Store search is horrible. You can literally search for the exact name of the app you want and NOT have it anywhere in the results.

    • Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 year ago

      Not quite. If your currently connected devices are not (supposedly) compatible because then it will not show up even if it is still on the store.
      Google doesnt even tell you that way and you might assume it’s not there.

      I tried it multiple times and had no issues installing the apk from apkmirror and using the app.

      • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        No, it did really happen. Usually with apps that didn’t have very high installation counts. I have first hand experience with it as the author and publisher of an app. People could literally search for the exact name of my app and get all kinds of other results, but not my app. I’d have to send them a direct link to the listing.

      • DrFuggles@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        Yeah, I’ve been geofenced from certain apps for forever for some reason. Google knows I’m German, Google knows I’m in Germany and yet I can’t download the official German gov Covid tracking app because “it isn’t available in your region”. So I’ve gotten quite familiar with the aurora store instead 🤷‍♂️

          • DrFuggles@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            I wish, then I’d have at least some explanation. Although it’d be kinda weird still seeing as how I have a German IP address

  • Nate@programming.dev
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    1 year ago

    Ads in any kind of app store search should SUPER NOT BE ALLOWED. Microsoft does it, Google does it, even the Apple app store has it. I don’t want my grandma to be looking for her bank app and download Fast Cash Transfer Free 2024 Edition instead

  • modifier@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    Google rocketed past ‘icky’ long ago, around the time they awkwardly removed ‘don’t be evil’ from their motto.

    • mob@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      100% agree that Google is icky/morally corrupt.

      But imo, having “don’t be evil” isn’t a great motto even if it was for the most moral company to ever exist. It’s just a really suspicious motto

  • TheDarksteel94@sopuli.xyz
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    1 year ago

    Just like Google Search results. I don’t even really notice those anymore because my brain ignores them automatically.

    • bignate@discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 year ago

      I used to think the same thing: first three results or so are always ads, so just ignore. And then recently they’ve changed to be 90% ads even after the initial few. It’s hard to find something that someone hasn’t paid to display :(

  • Exusgu@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’ve clicked the “install” button on the ad by accident, more than once. The ad precedes an exact match, super dark pattern.

    • macattack@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      Yeah that’s the part that is frustrating. It’s such an aggressive implementation of a dark pattern knowing the users muscle memory. It’s akin to suddenly switching the placement of ‘Accept’/‘Decline’ after years of being in the same place.

      What surprises me is that it feels more like a money grab from a struggling app than the company in charge of ads across a large percentage of the world.

    • LemmyIsFantastic@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I always imagine you people as the boomers on infomercials. Accidentally clicking shit, installing zero days from random sources, and just heavily fighting to practice cyber hygiene with commission unsuccessful results.

      • 8rhn6t6s@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        As a person that has a muscle memory for pressing the first row. I disagree with you here. I had to relearn pressing the actual app. For iOS I do not have this issue even though they also practice this as I had no muscle memory since I rarely use iPhone.

      • Exusgu@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        “You people”, very kind. As if people doing things on autopilot isn’t universal and implementations like these aren’t meant to trigger that exact thing. Read up on UX, and implementations of dark patterns. Perhaps have an attempt at empathy too.

        “People like you” make the internet such a bad place sometimes. Generalizing, exaggerating, calling names…

  • Not_Alec_Baldwin@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    It’s not a subtle ad. Google has sold the top slots of your search to companies in exchange for money.

    When your search for “Excel”, Google doesn’t try to find you the most relevant result. They find you the highest paying ad, and then what you’re searching for.

    • macattack@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      Hearing this week how they purposefully made Google search results worse so that people would be shown more ads feels like another blow as of late. Have you no sense of decency Google #ShakesFistAsAConsumer

  • Inept@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    TBH, Google itself is kinda “icky” and has been for awhile.

  • XIIIesq@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yes.

    I don’t mind suggested or even sponsored apps, but trying to get downloads via misclicks is underhanded.

  • moldyringwald@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yeah I think it’s pretty wack. If I search doordash then Uber eats will be the first result or if I search Uber eats then doordash will be the first result lol the ads are getting so extreme it pretty much evens out in the end and it’s all completely pointless aside from making everything more annoying for the user

    • derpgon@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      Remember, the end user is always the one paying for the ads. Either by the company making you pay more for their products (Apple) or taking bigger cuts from whatever they mediate (Uber, Doordash).

      • kase@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You’re telling me that not only am I seeing the ads, but I’m also paying for them??? I think I’m gonna be sick, how do I get off this ride 😭

        • derpgon@programming.dev
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          1 year ago

          If you buying their products or paying for their services - absolutely yes. If you are just seeing them, then it’s free 🤣

          But, seriously - uBlock Origin, AdGuard, PiHole, use FOSS, buy brands that do not advertise (or do not advertise as much), use services that are known because they are good, not because they advertise themselves.

          It’s not feasible or possible to 100% this, let’s be real, but partially possible and helps fbe whole picture.

    • IamAnonymous@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Same thing on iOS. I just search for the app on the browser so it takes me directly to the app without these ads.