FTC rules to rein in subscription abuse, Google Bard goes local, Bard is generative not searchy

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FTC proposes new rules to rein in subscription abuses:  The FTC has  been on a roll fighting the many “dark patterns” of the internet. Last week they added a $245m  fine for Fortnite to pay for consumer restitution of inappropriate charges incurred after a single misleading click. This week they proposed a rule  to eliminate abuses of the “Negative Option rule” which requires consumers to proactively seek out and navigate complicated scenarios to cancel subscriptions. The rule when approved will give the FTC to impose requirements across a large number of industries that will hopefully rein in subscription abuses. 

 The Bard goes local, sort of:  Bard, despite hallucinations, was competent at making local recommendations and that use case could be expanded. Is a chat interface the best way to surface local data or is Maps really the best search metaphor?  

The Bard use case is more generative and less searchy:  Google is positioning Bard for more creative uses and unlike Bing is NOT integrating it into search in any meaningful way. This may be because it behooves them financially to not do so. Regardless, Bard is capable of some things that Bing just can’t do. While Bing is controlling the conversation about AI and search, Google seems to be heading in a different direction, one that leverages AI as a content creation tool. 

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
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