(3)
Yesterday, if you searched for [sell] in Google Finance, Google would bring up Apple (AAPL) stock ticket. Here is a picture:
At first people thought it was an "easter egg," Google playing a trick on Apple. But no, Google said it wasn't.
Google told Search Engine Land it was not deliberate but rather it was the algorithm.
This isn't deliberate - our algorithms seem to be keying off of the words "sell" and "sells" in the description of this very popular stock symbol. We're working on how to adjust things so it doesn't happen anymore.
Google did adjust things because now when you search for [sell] you no longer get a stock sticker.
Should you sell if Google is algorithmically suggesting so?
Forum discussion at Reddit & Hacker News.
Comments:
Bill F
12/31/2012 08:29 pm
This is a stupid topic to write an article on ...what "algorithms"? Google, in their release seem to simply be saying that their search algorithms are mixing up tickers.
Human
01/01/2013 07:58 pm
It means that their algorithm picked up on most people referring to AAPL when discussing a stock to sell, simply because of its volume and the fact that that's been a main reason for its discussion for a few months now, falling nearly $200 from 700. They do it to be able to more easily determine a stock from a user's ticker or input. For example, putting in iPads will also send you to AAPL, while putting in airplanes goes to Boeing. It comes as a side effect of being able to say Intel and it knowing that you're referring to NASDAQ:INT. It's not done magically, and if you don't understand that there isn't a person paid by Google typing in every single term related to every company, that doesn't mean that Google's making a mistake.
Josh
01/02/2013 07:41 pm
I find it interesting and relevant. I find it more interested that people think items like this are done on purpose..