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Google's Mobile Search Results Now Include Videos Of Celebrities Answering Your Questions (techcrunch.com)

Posted by msmash on from the who-asked-for-this dept.

Google is testing a new feature that will allow celebrities and other notable figures to answer users' search queries directly in the form of "selfie" videos posted in the Google Search results. From a report: The company says this program is initially being piloted on mobile with a handful of people for now, including Priyanka Chopra, Will Ferrell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Gina Rodriguez, Kenan Thompson, Allison Williams, Nick Jonas, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Seth MacFarlane, Jonathan Yeo and Dominique Ansel. Of course, the celebs aren't answering users' queries in real-time. Instead, Google has had them pre-record their videos in response to what it already knows are some of fans' most-asked questions typed into the Google search box.

8 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Depends on who's delivering the answer by dasgoober · · Score: 4, Funny

    "What is fellatio?"

    1. Re:Depends on who's delivering the answer by Major_Disorder · · Score: 2

      Why am I not surprised that a /. user would need to ask the question above?

      --
      First law of people: People are generally stupid.
  2. Video search results? by QuietLagoon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Wow, I get to hear a celeb drone on and on, taking twenty times longer to convey the answer to me than it would take for me to read the answer. Sign me up! :)

  3. Re:Why? by olsmeister · · Score: 2

    This way you get it from the horses.... errmmm... the celebrity's mouth, not second- or third-hand.

  4. RTFA by cogeek · · Score: 3, Informative

    All you panic button hitting doomsdayers that are terrified this will ruin your precious Google search, go RTFA. It's celebrities posting videos answering the most common questions they get asked about themselves. It's canned video, not interactive and it won't answer any and every question you ask it with a celebrity. It's celebrities promoting themselves no different than they do on Twitter. This won't affect the average Google user in the slightest.

  5. Re:Priorities aka pseudo-celebrities by rogoshen1 · · Score: 2

    intentionally obtuse? talking to a god damn priest or imam or whoever about your problems isn't necessarily about theology.

  6. Re:The Dumbing! by Obfuscant · · Score: 2

    Geez, who wouldn't want will Ferrell personally answering "What's the best way to spread Christmas cheer?"

    Me.

    Google and Alexa are particularly bad at humor, and Will Ferrell is worse than either. Combine Google and Will Ferrell and you might need hospitalization after hearing the result.

  7. Re:Priorities aka pseudo-celebrities by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 2

    /sarcasm Because _only_ religious people have to deal with abuse, addictions, communication problems, financial problems, intimacy, sexual problems, etc.

    Religion is NOT the _only_ thing ministers deal with dumbass.

    But let's keep blaming an inanimate object, Religion, for all of the world's problem.