Tech-savvy seniors challenge Google's search monopoly: 'Scrolling down a list is too hard? For who?'

Following the Department of Justice's (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit against Google, a New York Times (NYT) column authored by Brian Chen aimed to illustrate the practical consequences of one of the government's central allegations: That Google intentionally complicates the process of selecting an alternative search engine across all devices. Nevertheless, it appears that everyday individuals, including capable elderly citizens, may not share Chen's or the DOJ's apprehensions.

The column piece, released on Sept. 20, explores Google's stranglehold on the search engine industry and the reported difficulties users encounter when trying to transition to other search providers. After seeking insights from "design experts," Chen's conclusion was that the process of switching is unduly cumbersome, and most individuals would likely abandon the effort before successfully making the switch.

Readers' disagreement is apparent in the comments section, where the majority of the 500+ remarks express how effortlessly users can switch between different search engines. One such elderly user from Houston, Texas said, "I'm over 70 and quite easily switched from Google's search engine a couple of years ago on an iPhone, a MacBook and a pad. It's amazing how many fewer unsolicited ads I see. I didn't count the taps it took to switch but, really, scrolling down a list is too hard? For who? Please."

Another elderly individual echoed this sentiment: "I am a senior citizen, one of those dinosaurs that tech assumes cannot manage an iPhone or a computer. I found it quite easy to switch from Bing which came with my computer to Google which I prefer. It is a much better search engine," the reader said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused Google of engaging in illegal practices by utilizing its collaborations with mobile device manufacturers, computer producers and browser developers to stifle competition within the online search industry. As per the DOJ's allegations, these partnerships have granted Google the ability to designate its search engine as the default option on a significant portion of consumer electronic devices, including smartphones. Consequently, this practice has discouraged users from exploring alternative search engine choices such as Bing, DuckDuckGo and others, NPR reported.

"I'm sorry, but if you can't perform a simple double swipe to access your Safari settings, there may be questions about your eligibility to legally own and use a smartphone," another reader expressed.

Contrary to the claims made by Chen and the DOJ that Google has greatly complicated the browser-switching process, users of all ages underline its ease. The response from a small group of individuals to the NYT article suggests that most people select their search engine based on convenience and usefulness rather than being forced to do so.