Google Shopping is censoring "Gun"

[delkancott]

Was just made aware of this on another forum. Google is now censoring "gun" and other terms like "ar-15" in their shopping tab. Give it a try, it's beyond messed up.

ETA: shotgun, glock, handgun all return no results.

[scw2]

FWIW I just tried "AR grip" and it returned a variety of options, including one with the words "AR15 Grip" in the title.

[Peally]

They've intentionally censored firearm related shopping results before. Makes it real easy to find someone else to buy through.

Google is a shitstain, I switched to Bing a long time ago.

[schüler]

High time for alternate search engines and video hosting sites. Together with anti-data mining laws that require explicit (non-User Agreement language) permission to monitor your profile.

[delkancott]

They've intentionally censored firearm related shopping results before. Makes it real easy to find someone else to buy through.

Google is a shitstain, I switched to Bing a long time ago.

Bing's Shop tab is also censoring AR-15 results, Handgun and Glock seems to only return accessories.

[TGS]

I thought the Google shopping tab censored gun/gun items several years ago.

[Peally]

Bing's Shop tab is also censoring AR-15 results, Handgun and Glock seems to only return accessories.

I don't think either site combs places like GunBroker. Regardless, Google is full California.

[NEPAKevin]

FWIW, searced "AR-15" in duckduckgo.com (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ar-15&t=hg&ia=web) and it worked. Results included wiki, arfcom, gunbroker, etc.

[delkancott]

They did — back around the end of June 2012.

Nothing new to report then. Except I learned what DuckDuckgo is.

[TicTacticalTimmy]

Nothing new to report then. Except I learned what DuckDuckgo is.

My experience is Ecosia.org is the best of the non-tracking search engine options

I am confused why anyone who supports the 2A would be using Google Shopping in the first place though... You could literally take 3 extra seconds to just google what you are looking for and then click on a store to see the item, rather than transferring money from gun stores that presumably support the 2A to give it to a company that hates it. Or use wikiarms.com or gun.deals if you want price comparisons.

[Hambo]

I didn't know Google had a shopping tab, but who GAF when the 'all' tab returns all kinds of gun related searches?

[octagon]

I just did a couple searches on Google and it worked as normal for me. I use a VPN so that may be why but the same as it has been for as long as I can remember.

[SeriousStudent]

Also a fan of DuckDuckGo.

[Whirlwind06]

Duckduckgo and Firefox seem to the easiest way to avoid Google.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[RevolverRob]

So, yea I guess Google is "censoring" searches. I think censor is the wrong word, it deliberately focuses on highest revenue generating sources.

BUT more importantly, Google biases search results, based on your search history. Which is what you want to avoid, so make sure that you shut "pause" all of the activity monitors that Google uses. That you do not allow it to use private results for your searches. That you set a default region (United States). And finally, that you do not let it maintain or track search history. All of these things will make search algorithm as "unbiased" as possible.

When I click "shopping" I get nothing. But when I just straight Google "Colt 1911"...

24117

[Drang]

Earlier today Robb Allen reported that you couldn't even do a search for "glue gun" or "nail gun" in Google Shopping. Apparently they've fixed that. Says Uncle reported that you could get hits for AR10, but not AR15.

I dunno.

I've been using DuckDuckGo as my search engine since Glenn Reynolds talked about it a few years ago, and I didn't know there WAS a Google Shopping thingy.

[TGS]

I don't really use any search engine for shopping.

If I want to buy optics, I go to SWFA.

If I want to buy ammo, I go to SGammo or AmmoToGo.

If I want to buy hard/soft gear, I go to SKD Tactical.

If I want to buy Med gear, I go to Rescue-Essentials or Chinook Medical.

If I want to buy guns/components, I go to Rainier Arms, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells or Midway USA.

Anything other than those and I pretty much just go straight to the manufacturer (i.e. SKD doesn't have the Ten-Speed pouch I want, or Rainier doesn't have the BCM upper I want).

No need for search engine. Half the fun is shopping around on my favorite websites, anyway.

[Clusterfrack]

I use Smile.Amazon.com to support the NRA.

[ubervic]

I don't really use any search engine for shopping.

If I want to buy optics, I go to SWFA.

If I want to buy ammo, I go to SGammo or AmmoToGo.

If I want to buy hard/soft gear, I go to SKD Tactical.

If I want to buy Med gear, I go to Rescue-Essentials or Chinook Medical.

If I want to buy guns/components, I go to Rainier Arms, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells or Midway USA.

Anything other than those and I pretty much just go straight to the manufacturer (i.e. SKD doesn't have the Ten-Speed pouch I want, or Rainier doesn't have the BCM upper I want).

No need for search engine. Half the fun is shopping around on my favorite websites, anyway.

THIS.

Who uses Google Shopping? The results always suck, no matter the subject matter.

[RJ]

Just set my home page to DuckDuckGo.

What is a decent secure non Google email Service these days?

[Peally]

Outlook and Google are the main email services used. Yahoo has suspect security, we take the lazy IT route and just block it at work.

[StraitR]

Thanks for the heads up on DuckDuckGo. Installed as a Safari extension to block tracking networks and made it my home page.

[blues]

Just set my home page to DuckDuckGo.

What is a decent secure non Google email Service these days?

I use to use DuckDuckGo but their responses to queries are generally not quite as comprehensive as google. At least that was my prior experience.

[StraitR]

I use to use DuckDuckGo but their responses to queries are generally not quite as comprehensive as google. At least that was my prior experience.

I assumed this was going to be the case, but it's likely a worthy sacrifice. We'll see. On the other hand, I've found that if I don't get what I'm looking for on the first or second page of google results, I'm likely not going to get it. I simply try an alternative query. I'll just have to do the same with DDG and see how it goes.

[BobLoblaw]

First off, what kind of animal Googles one word when not looking for a definition?

Secondly, who cares? Are you trying to buy guns with Google Home?
"Hey, Google. Order me a gun."
"All right, I ordered you a talking fish, redneck."

[That Guy]

I use to use DuckDuckGo but their responses to queries are generally not quite as comprehensive as google. At least that was my prior experience.

I haven't had very good results with DuckDuckGo, either. I can find stuff with Google that I can't with DDG.

[Drang]

First off, what kind of animal Googles one word when not looking for a definition? If you were searching for, say, "nail gun" or "glue gun" or "AR15 parts" you got zero results. Nothing. Nada. Bupkus.

Like I said, I never knew there WAS a Google Shopping app, and even if I had known about it I wouldn't have used it for this or probably anything else, but these reports are pretty wide spread.

[NerdAlert]

My adblocker blocks google shopping ads. TWO CAN PLAY THIS GAME :rolleyes: