Google executives optimistic about new search feature to alleviate Reddit blackout impacts

Google users have been using the term “Reddit” to enhance their search queries and find relevant resources on specific topics.

However, when numerous Reddit forums recently went private in protest of Reddit’s decision to charge developers for data access, this search strategy became less effective.

To address this issue, Google has introduced a new feature called Perspectives. This feature, available on the mobile web and Google app in the U.S., aims to surface discussion forums and videos from social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Quora.

In response to user feedback about the dissatisfaction caused by ads and irrelevant results, Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s senior vice president in charge of search, acknowledged the need to improve the user experience. He emphasized the importance of making users happy and finding ways to display helpful resources without requiring users to specifically mention “Reddit” in their searches.

Google is investing in revamping its search capabilities by leveraging generative artificial intelligence and providing more sophisticated answers to text-based queries. The company is also exploring the possibility of integrating its ChatGPT competitor, Bard, with search functionalities.

During a companywide meeting, CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the importance of providing comprehensive answers rather than just “blue links” in search results. HJ Kim, vice president of engineering in search, highlighted the user demand for more content from sites like Reddit. While the Perspectives tab is one step towards fulfilling this demand, Kim acknowledged that there is room for improvement.

Raghavan expressed the company’s commitment to determining the most effective approaches for addressing users’ queries and opinions. He emphasized that generative AI is just one piece of the puzzle and that Google has been running experiments, including the Perspectives feature, to enhance search capabilities.

According to Lara Levin, a Google spokeswoman, search is continuously being improved to meet the evolving needs of users, and features like the Perspectives filter are designed to ensure that users can find the most helpful information from various sources and formats.