Keep your witchy wits about you while researching online!

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet!

Just wanted to slide a reminder from someone who does a lot of research searching and digging through the internet for my fellow witches doing research or fact-checking. Many search engines these days have an auto search result at the top. It is often not correct.

Here’s what ruffled my feathers: As many of us who study astrology know, while the typical start/end dates for astrological seasons are set, the exact day the Sun enters a sign (and starts a season) varies from year to year. I always like to double check across astrology sites to make sure the current dates for the year are correct in my notes.

I ran a quick search for “sun enters Leo 2026” in my search engine (DuckDuckGo) and got the following at the top of the page:

The “search assist” claims that the Sun enters Leo on August 17. This is not true, and right below the search assist you can see the actual results displaying the correct information. The standard Leo season dates are estimated from July 23 to August 22 but this year, the Sun enters Leo a little before that on July 22.

Ironically, the search assist is claiming that it used CafeAstrology as a source - so not only is the search assist wrong, it is also displaying false credit info

I took a look at the other source listed, and sure enough, there are the false dates. Now, maybe this site is using a completely different form of astrology from what the vast majority of folks searching for Leo season would be looking for (and thus what the first search result should display), but I couldn’t find reference to that on this page. The article also shows signs of being written by GenAI. I’m thinking it was likely machine generated and not fact-checked.

This is not the first time I have seen search assist be wrong, but I often see people taking and using what it presents as fact.

All this to say: When researching online, please be mindful where you put your trust! Search assist is not reliable and needs to be fact-checked. Some websites cranking out GenAI content are not fact-checking their work and the resulting misinformation can range from wrong to harmful. This is becoming more and more of an issue as GenAI articles and content flood the web. AI is feeding off of AI and making very muddled content.

Please know I’m not saying this to be scary or (heavens forbid!) deter people from studying what they love. I’d just like to renew everyone’s awareness and encourage mindful research. Stick with content and sources you trust whenever possible.

Keep on exploring, witches. Happy studies and blessed be!

[Moonbeam]

@BryWisteria

Thank you for sharing such important information. When I put my icon and the phases thereof I always check the Spells8 Homepage on the Daily Lunar Spell and Merry Meet Monday for other events as even though the time zone might be slightly different by a few hours I am posting as I am in the US. As it would be near impossible to get the precise time and I do not want to have to keep looking it up and it can be confusing for everyone here.

My search engine is IPhone Safari which takes me to Google which as you say automatically fetches up Top Search Results given that these are generated by AI and I like to use the old ways Forklore which is what I have learned and passed to me through the Hedge AI is not really relevant thank goodness for that!! . However, I know that this is going to be the new normal for almost everything in daily life so I am mindful of what information is being generated I do like to use my own brain but there will be times that I will be guided by it as some information will not be accessible by any other way. I have chosen to keep it out of my craft but do understand that research and assistance by AI is done on the Forum but have also noted that it has been highlighted in the relevant post so I am aware of it.

Much love and many blessings

[Feathertip]

Thank you so much for this reminder, Bry! It’s important to remember how AI has inserted itself into all of our search engines.

I don’t think it only inserts itself into DDG or Safari or Google - it’s become omnipotent, and it is unfortunately our new reality when going online. Even a casual query will see those obnoxious “Search Assist” words pop up as the very first thing we encounter - which might lead some of us into believing it’s accurate!

It’s something I’ve noticed recently, and now I make a real effort to pass by that so-called “top-tier” reply, and just scroll past it and down to go to other sources. As you point out, some will be correct, and others might still not be - it’s on us to look carefully and keep out “witchy wits” about us!

AI is everywhere, and is really not to be trusted as a reliable source - it isn’t. Thanks again.

[georgia]

A friend once told me, before AI took over, that when she researches, she verifies it with three reliable sources. Reliable sources are tricky because even they can be hacked or have older information which has been learned more about in intervening years.

The movie Thirst quoted the Mayo Clinic in saying that Thrush is the white “jacket” on the tongue which is caused by lowered intake of water and will heal when body hydration is returned to normal. Our lovely @MeganB pointed out the error in that. Thank you, dear. Simply a case in point that it can be dangerous to take anything written as “Gospel Truth.”

[Moonbeam]

@BryWisteria @Feathertip @georgia - it just seems more work having to verify everything time consuming and exhausting I will have to I expect!

@Feathertip

it’s become omnipotent, and it is unfortunately our new reality when going online.

You are spot on with that I know that my Employer is already using Copilot as over last month this button has been shown on my computer screen and this month there have been training on AI. It was just for Solicitors not Para Legal or Legal Secretaries but I know they will extend the same in time. Everything as you say is online to making any appointments definitely banking, local authorities, utilities. My hairdresser prefers appointments made in person and as my best friend does my beauty as she owns her own Salon I am fine with that. There is an option for online grocery shopping but I will always go to the Grocery Store to pick my own as they are in business to sell the oldest products and produce first and I look at the dates. i cannot see that grocery would stop this option as they are of the view that you will purchased more in store. I also don’t use delivery APPS which took off during Covid as again I prefer not to.

I do know that Pandora’s Box is well and truly open and it cannot be put back and reluctantly in some areas the choice has been taken away.

On the brighter note as I always try to be positive we can still grow somethings, herbs, vegetables even in a large pot and help Mother Earth and nature the best we can. Just harvested my second early potatoes.

Blessed Gardens

[leilani1]

Witchy Wednesday Bry,

Thank-you for bringing this up. So many believe that if they read it online it has to be correct. I remember, back in the 60’s we were told that if it was on the news it was a fact, just like if the doctor gave you a pill, it would work. Too many people put blind faith in too many things. “Always do your homework”

Lady Gene

[Moonbeam]

@leilani1 very true Lady Gene