Google has to have a method of determining whether a search query originates from a manual request, or if it is a link to the results, such as here.
There are many ways this could be detected: The Referer header from old browsers, the massive amount of data that the search query URL contains (the parameters that are not "q"). Probably Google even has session tracking, and the session would be missing everything before the results page.
Given that Google applies ML so heavily, and that this query would be an outlier in so many ways, I can't imagine how they wouldn't detect this.
>> Google has to have a method of determining whether a search query originates from a manual request, or if its a link to the results
The issue was about how it could be risky to one's reputation by linking from a NYT article to a disparaging page.
My parent asked how such a risk might arise. I assumed they could not imagine how one's browser, NYT and the target site could conspire to affect rankings.
I explained how this might happen. So Google knows there's traffic. Some traffic ranks higher than none, and much traffic ranks higher than some.
So, to allow Google to be aware that a well-trafficked site is slating you, is riskier than if it's a site with few visitors because that site will now rank higher.
There are many ways this could be detected: The Referer header from old browsers, the massive amount of data that the search query URL contains (the parameters that are not "q"). Probably Google even has session tracking, and the session would be missing everything before the results page.
Given that Google applies ML so heavily, and that this query would be an outlier in so many ways, I can't imagine how they wouldn't detect this.