[birdyrooster]

This reminds me of A/B testing that likely was the method Google unwittingly used to obfuscate sponsored results in Search. The A/B test KPI they were measuring clearly was creating more click through to sponsored properties and it eroded trust and utility in exchange. I am sure they increased their short term Ad Words profits.

[TeMPOraL]

I keep saying: A/B testing is how Satan influences this world. They make it all too easy to turn your product development into optimizing bad metrics, and they give ammunition for justifying self-destructive decisions (it must be good, the data says so).

[umvi]

> it must be good, the data says so

Slightly unrelated, but I heard a good quote the other day: "If you torture the data long enough, it will confess."

[mumblemumble]

With the advent of AutoML tools, it doesn't even take that long anymore.

[TeMPOraL]

Nice, I'm stealing it! Thanks!

[nwallin]

What are you thanking him for? It was your idea.

Wait. I mean, it was my idea. Why aren't you thanking me? Donate to my Patreon please.

[zzzcpan]

It's just A/B testing happens to align well with being an employee, not caring about the company, the future of the company, only caring to impress your boss short term and then getting promoted or leaving for another company. It's like a perfect selfish short term instrument for that, it doesn't burden you with mid and long term consequences.

But it's actually pretty hard to find something where A/B testing would be appropriate, outside of measuring effectiveness of ads of course, since they are naturally short term and consequence-free.

[birdyrooster]

Here is the source: https://searchengineland.com/search-ad-labeling-history-goog...