Search quality complaints and imaginary repair: Control in articulations of Google Search

In early 2017, a journalist and search engine expert wrote about “Google’s biggest ever quality crisis.” Months later, Google hired him as the first “Search Liaison” (GSL). By October 2021, when someone posted to Twitter screenshot of misleading Search results for “had seizure now what,” users tagged account GSL in reply. The frequently publicly interacts with people who complain on Twitter. This article asks: what functions does serve Google? We code analyze 6 months responses complaints find that three are: (1) naturalize logic undergirding by defending how it works, (2) perform repair complaints, (3) boundary drawing control critique. advances our understanding dominant technology companies respond critiques resist counter-imaginaries.