It’s not easy being Google.
There you were, bragging on everyone, bathing in unimaginable ad revenue, and telling people you were doing no harm.
But then came internal discontent, government lawsuits, ChatGPT, and a general perception that the company had gotten a little sad.
Please don’t worry, Google, I’ll make things worse for you.
more Technically incorrect
Or rather, TikTok is.
The somewhat controversial dance entertainment platform suddenly decided that it was not just a controversial dance entertainment platform.
Also: What is ChatGPT and why is it important? all you need to know
This is a search engine please.
How can I know? Because TikTok recently launched a campaign showing real human beings using TikTok instead of anything created by Google. Yes, to look for things.
Everything is done very simply. A dad helps his daughter move into her new apartment. He has trouble. The place is not in perfect condition.
So how could instant improvement be effected? No, not by Google or YouTube, but by TikToking.
Dad and daughter watch TikTok videos on how to clean a rug, hang a picture frame, freshen up a shelf and even cook dinner.
Yes, the TikTok you thought you knew is not that TikTok at all. It’s a much more useful TikTok with not only dance steps, but also walkthroughs.
In case you’re not sure this is a direct attack on Google’s hegemony – both financial and psychological – the ad offers as a summary: “Seek it, learn it, do -the.”
There is another telling touch.
If, for a brief moment, you thought only kids were doing this TikTok thing, the ad dispels it with a sly snort. The dad has the app on his phone. He’s the dad for whom searching via TikTok is the most natural thing in the world.
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This is all rather troubling for Google.
But let’s talk geopolitics for a moment.
Some worry about Chinese ownership of TikTok, its true motives, and what happens to the data the company collects. The US government isn’t too happy with Google either.
It’s hard to know who to trust at the best of times.
But now, even when you want to refresh your carpet, who do you turn to? Not your next door neighbor, surely.