Google banner continues to annoy

I’m surprised. I thought Google would have listened to the backlash and stopped annoying its users. Last month I wrote about the banner that appears at the top of Google’s search results page, saying:

Come Here Often? Make Google Your Homepage, and two choices: Sure or No Thanks.

Google’s own help forum is filled with complaints about this banner. Last month a Google representative responded, alleviating concerns that this was a virus. She stated that it is a Google promotion, but over a month later Google still has offered no means of disabling the banner or at least preventing it from repeatedly reappearing even to users who clicked “No Thanks”.

Google has dropped some clangers in recent years, gradually eroding their “do no wrong” image. Usually after a consumer uproar, the company backtracks somewhat and removes or softens the offending developments. In the case of this banner though, to date Google appears undeterred. Maybe we need to be more forceful and, as some critics have suggested, stop using Google products for a while. Google, if you’re listening: get rid of this banner! You’re ticking off loyal users.