Google conveniently shows results for "rocket launch" for the query "missile launch"

Google, a missile launch is different from a rocket launch - don't mix these. North Korea's fate depends on the difference between a missile and a rocket!

Google gives preference to its own services

For the query 2 nights in soul valley, which is a movie, Google's top result - which looks suspiciously similar to an organic result - is actually an artificially-promoted result for Google's own service. This could be illegal.

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28-May-2019

Another recent example from 26-May-19. Top result directs to Google's own paid services.

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Google fails for its apology for results for queries containing the word "Jew"

I searched for Jew York Times, and I saw an apology from Google about the search results.

"We're disturbed about these results as well."

I find it interesting that Google apologizes to the world for offensive results that appear when a query contains the term Jew. But offensive is a very relative term. I get offended when I see results telling me that there were WMDs in Iraq, and that based on this fabricated and false propaganda a sovereign nation and its people were bombed back to the stone age. I get offended when I see unending China-bashing in Google's search results. I even get offended when I see that Google apologizes for offensive results for queries containing the word Jew, but does not apologize when there are so many other instances when Google shows highly offensive results.

This is one major fail for Google.

Just noticed that other people have also condemned this Jew-favoritism of Google.

KLM ticket search fails for providing one way fare that is higher than two way fare

Who will pay SGD ~258 for a one way ticket from Singapore to Bali when you can buy a return ticket for SGD ~252? Just don't show up for the return flight. This is clearly an example of a failed search and a failed booking system at KLM.

Google promotes the Android version of a game in search results and severely demotes the iOS version

Today I was playing the nice game SimplePhysics on an iPad borrowed from a friend. I liked the game quite a lot and wondered if it was available for Windows. I went to Google and queried simplephysics. I saw an eye-catchy link to the Android version of this game as the top result, complete with user ratings icons, price, and 'Android' mentioned to catch the user's attention. I wondered where in the ranking did the iOS version of the same game stood. Amazingly, it was the last result on the ninth page, that is, it was ranked #90 by Google - and it had no information such as price, ratings, etc. Is all of this a coincidence? I doubt. Interestingly, Bing shows both the iOS and Android links on its first page.

Google fails for providing incorrect flight departure time

Someone could blindly rely on Google's sometimes-incorrect information and could get delayed [or could go earlier than required]. This can potentially have serious repercussions for some people and in some situations. Screenshots taken on 20-Jan-10.

Google's entire SERP has only YouTube results - this may be illegal!

This might be seriously illegal, if this isn't just an experiment. Screenshots taken in Sep'12.

Amazon deliberately injects its own Kindle products into others' SERPs

For queries that have absolutely nothing to do with Amazon's Kindle products, Amazon has blatantly forced Kindle results into the SERPs for competitors' products. Kindle shows up for iPad. Kindle shows up for Nexus. Screenshots below prove this [taken on 27-Oct-12].

All search engines fail on the query (*^^*)

Yes, if you search for (*^^*), none of the search engines delivers a single result.

Google fails because it substitutes a term in my original query with a synonym, without asking me first (or even informing me)

When I searched for the lost day, I was looking for a documentary related to Russia. But Google seems to apply its own brain, and it also showed me results for the missing day. The result is that the SERP is utterly useless.

Google fails because of overly greedy advertising on a SERP

Only one algorithmic result visible on the SERP without scrolling. Rest is all ads. So much for "...we expect that advertising funded search engines will be inherently biased towards the advertisers and away from the needs of the consumers."

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22-Apr-17

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Google fails for not considering a dead person's date of death

Bing correctly says that the age of Steve Jobs at the time of his death was 56, while Google incorrectly says that the age of Steve Jobs is 57 [disregarding the fact that he died in October 2011]. All of this in June 2012!

Google fails - it includes two links to the same webpage in a SERP

The second and the third results point to the same Wikipedia article. Google could've and should've noticed this - it should've automatically clubbed the second and third results. Without scrolling, a user can see only 4 results in this screenshot, and because of one redundant result, 25% of the results visible without scrolling have been wasted.

Update [Nov'12]: Adding screenshot for a principally similar, but more serious, SERP pointed out by Adam Davies in the comments.

Google fails because it includes the mobile version of a page in its first SERP, thus wasting one result out of ten

Google's top 10 results are supposed to be the most relevant/useful, but by including the mobile version of the #1 result as the #2 result, Google has wasted a full 10% of its crucial first 10 results.