Consumer Group Accuses Internet Search Engines of Deception

It’s no secret that collaboration is essential to growth, but the how of it isn’t always so clear—and it's the understanding of how that is a true competitive advantage. Join Adweek X, a uniquely formatted event on December 4 in LA, to unlock fresh perspectives, true collaboration and growth.


SAN FRANCISCO — Attacking an increasingly popular Internet business practice, a consumer watchdog group filed a complaint Monday with the Federal Trade Commission asserting that many online search engines are concealing the impact special fees have on search results by Internet users.

Commercial Alert, a three-year-old group founded by consumer activist Ralph Nader, asked the FTC to investigate whether eight of the Web’s largest search engines are violating federal laws against deceptive advertising.

The group said the search engines are abandoning objective formulas to determine the order of their listed results, and selling the top spots to the highest bidders without making adequate disclosures to Web surfers.




AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

To Read the Full Story Become an Adweek+ Subscriber

View Subscription Options

Already a member? Sign in