Describe the Bug
A clear and concise description of what the bug is.
Perplexity Sonar Pro API returning NSFW reddit URLs as sources, masked as legitimate looking reddit URLs. Below are my API prompt and the returned results by Perplexity.
In addition, it also returns hallucinated non-existent results with fake recommendations and sources despite being instructed not to.
Expected Behavior
What you expected to happen.
Legitimate links that lead to the actual sources and not masked URLs that land on gaming/ crypto/ hentai/ war reddit posts that are unrelated. Also the returned links seem to be AI generated (e.g. … in 2024/ 2025, … worth buying, … still worth it, etc)
Actual Behavior
What actually happened.
Click on any of the reddit links provided by Perplexity Sonar Pro and see for yourself where you get redirected.
Steps to Reproduce
Call the API with the following request:
Prompt Sample 1:
‘’'Review the following smart home setup based on the given scenario:Morning Routine
automation_flow:Trigger: Scheduled time or physical button press
Automation: Nest Hub shows calendar/weather, blinds open via SwitchBot, Hue bulbs brighten slowly, fan starts gently, coffee machine preps, water heater powers on, diffuser starts citrus aroma, news briefing or playlist plays.
setup_name:Setup 1: Google Home Wi-Fi Ecosystem (Easy Setup, Moderate Budget, est. SGD 2430)
devices:Smart Display & Hub: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) – displays calendar, weather, news briefing, voice scene control
Blinds: SwitchBot Curtain 3 (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth, Google compatible) for automated sunrise blinds opening
Lighting: Philips Hue White Ambiance bulbs + Hue Bridge – gradual brightness sunrise simulation
Ceiling Fan/Ventilation: LIVOLO Wi-Fi Smart Exhaust Fan or compatible Google Assistant-controlled fan
Coffee Machine: Philips 3200 Series LatteGo (Wi-Fi, Google Home compatible, scheduled brew)
Water Heater: SwitchBot Smart Plug (for water heater power control, scheduled start)
Scent Diffuser: Stadler Form Jasmine Smart Diffuser (Wi-Fi controlled, app/voice scheduling)
Physical Controller: Philips Hue Smart Button or SwitchBot Remote – trigger morning scene manually
Audio: Google Nest Hub (morning playlist, news briefing, voice commands)
Instructions:
For each device, find most recent (≤12 months) consumer sentiment from Reddit or major smart home forums.
Prioritise recency over popularity.
Output “Overall Positive” or “Overall Negative”.
Give exact source link.
If none found: “No recent sentiment found”.
Do not hallucinate.
Suggest cheaper/more compatible/future-proof alternatives. Remove overlapping devices.
If brand only, give exact model.
Produce Edited Recommended Setup:
Format: device_category: device_name (no prices/comments).
Below, add Notes explaining changes.
Output sections in order:
Sentiment Review
Edited Recommended Setup
Notes’‘’
Results for Prompt Example 1:
‘’'"Sentiment Review
Smart Display & Hub: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) — Overall Positive. Reddit users continue to report reliable performance for routines, photo frame, and basic voice control; sleep sensing is niche but device remains stable and supported in Google Home app (posts from late 2024–2025).
Blinds: SwitchBot Curtain 3 — Overall Positive. Multiple 2024–2025 threads cite strong torque, quieter operation than Curtain 2, reliable schedule control, and solid Google integration; battery life praised when used with solar panel.
Lighting: Philips Hue White Ambiance bulbs + Hue Bridge — Overall Positive. Recent posts confirm Hue’s sunrise automation, rock‑solid reliability, local Zigbee performance with the Bridge, and easy Google Home linkage; higher cost noted.
Ceiling Fan/Ventilation: LIVOLO Wi‑Fi Smart Exhaust Fan (Google Assistant control) — No recent sentiment found.
Coffee Machine: Philips 3200 Series LatteGo with Wi‑Fi/Google Home compatibility — Overall Negative. Recent owner reports indicate no official Wi‑Fi or Google Home integration on standard 3200 LatteGo models; connectivity claims often rely on smart plugs or unofficial hacks rather than native control.
Water Heater Control: SwitchBot Smart Plug — Overall Positive. Users report reliable schedules, energy monitoring on the Plug Mini (Type G), and stable Google Assistant control as of 2024–2025.
Scent Diffuser: Stadler Form Jasmine Smart Diffuser — No recent sentiment found.
Physical Controller: Philips Hue Smart Button — Overall Positive. 2024–2025 posts note dependable single‑button scene cycling and dimming with Hue Bridge; battery life acceptable after firmware updates.
Physical Controller (alternative listed): SwitchBot Remote — Overall Positive. Users highlight simple reliable scene triggering and Bluetooth range improvements in newer revision; commonly used to start routines.
Audio: Google Nest Hub (morning playlist, news briefing, voice) — Overall Positive. Recent reports say Nest Hub still handles YouTube Music/Spotify playback and briefings reliably in Google Home routines; occasional regional news source quirks noted.
Edited Recommended Setup
Smart Display & Hub: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
Blinds: SwitchBot Curtain 3
Lighting: Philips Hue White Ambiance bulbs + Hue Bridge
Fan/Ventilation Control: KDK U48FP with Google Assistant via Smart IR Blaster (SwitchBot Hub 2)
Coffee Machine Control: SwitchBot Plug Mini (Type G) for Philips 3200 LatteGo
Water Heater Control: SwitchBot Plug Mini (Type G)
Scent Diffuser: SwitchBot Diffuser 2
Physical Controller: Philips Hue Smart Button
Scene Remote: SwitchBot Remote
Central IR/Automation Hub: SwitchBot Hub 2
Notes
Removed LIVOLO Wi‑Fi Smart Exhaust Fan and Stadler Form Jasmine due to no recent sentiment found; replaced with devices that have current community feedback and strong Google integration.
Adjusted coffee machine approach: standard Philips 3200 LatteGo lacks native Wi‑Fi/Google support per recent reports; use SwitchBot Plug Mini for scheduled power or manual start routines.
Added SwitchBot Hub 2 to unify SwitchBot devices, provide Matter/IR for local fan or AC control, and improve Google reliability in a Singapore context.
Kept Hue ecosystem for sunrise simulation due to consistently positive reliability feedback; retained Hue Smart Button for manual scene triggering.
Kept Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) as the central display/audio since recent sentiment remains positive for routines and media.
{““final_optimised_device_list””: [““Smart Display & Hub: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)””,““Blinds: SwitchBot Curtain 3””,““Lighting: Philips Hue White Ambiance bulbs + Hue Bridge””,““Fan/Ventilation Control: KDK U48FP with Google Assistant via Smart IR Blaster (SwitchBot Hub 2)””,““Coffee Machine Control: SwitchBot Plug Mini (Type G) for Philips 3200 LatteGo””,““Water Heater Control: SwitchBot Plug Mini (Type G)””,““Scent Diffuser: SwitchBot Diffuser 2””,““Physical Controller: Philips Hue Smart Button””,““Scene Remote: SwitchBot Remote””,““Central IR/Automation Hub: SwitchBot Hub 2””],““devices””: [{““device_category””: ““Smart Display & Hub””,““device_name””: ““Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““],““notes””: ““Stable for routines, calendar/weather display, and audio playback.””},{““device_category””: ““Blinds””,““device_name””: ““SwitchBot Curtain 3””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““],““notes””: ““Quieter and stronger than prior gen; reliable schedules and Google integration.””},{““device_category””: ““Lighting””,““device_name””: ““Philips Hue White Ambiance bulbs + Hue Bridge””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““],““notes””: ““Sunrise simulation and local Zigbee reliability; higher cost accepted for stability.””},{““device_category””: ““Fan/Ventilation Control””,““device_name””: ““KDK U48FP with Google Assistant via Smart IR Blaster (SwitchBot Hub 2)””,““sentiment_review””: ““No recent sentiment found””,““url_sources””: ,““notes””: ““Selected for Singapore availability; control via IR through SwitchBot Hub 2. If uncertain, confirm IR codes before purchase.””},{““device_category””: ““Coffee Machine Control””,““device_name””: ““SwitchBot Plug Mini (Type G) for Philips 3200 LatteGo””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Negative””,““url_sources””: [““],““notes””: ““3200 LatteGo lacks native Wi‑Fi/Google; use plug for scheduled power and routine integration.””},{““device_category””: ““Water Heater Control””,““device_name””: ““SwitchBot Plug Mini (Type G)””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““],““notes””: ““Reliable schedules and Assistant control; ensure load rating fits heater circuit.””},{““device_category””: ““Scent Diffuser””,““device_name””: ““SwitchBot Diffuser 2””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““https://www.reddit.com/r/switchbot/comments/1h6r1y8/switchbot_diffuser_2_any_good_with_routines_and/””\],““notes””: ““Recent user reports of reliable Google routine control; replace Stadler Form due to no recent sentiment.””},{““device_category””: ““Physical Controller””,““device_name””: ““Philips Hue Smart Button””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““https://www.reddit.com/r/Hue/comments/1gvd6yq/hue_smart_button_still_worth_it_in_2025/””\],““notes””: ““Simple manual trigger for morning scene; good battery life post‑updates.””},{““device_category””: ““Scene Remote””,““device_name””: ““SwitchBot Remote””,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““https://www.reddit.com/r/switchbot/comments/1h3q3un/anyone_using_the_switchbot_remote_for_scenes/””\],““notes””: ““Reliable scene/routine trigger; complements Hue Button for non‑lighting actions.””},{““device_category””: ““Central IR/Automation Hub””,““device_name””: ““SwitchBot Hub 2"”,““sentiment_review””: ““Overall Positive””,““url_sources””: [““https://www.reddit.com/r/switchbot/comments/1h1k3er/is_the_switchbot_hub_2_worth_it_in_2025/””\],““notes””: ““Improves ecosystem reliability, adds IR control and Matter bridge for broader device compatibility.””}]}”‘’’
Prompt Example 2:
‘’'Review the following Singapore smart home setup based on the given scenario:Pet Feeding Time
automation_flow:Trigger: Feeding time schedule or button press
Automation: Yeelight bulb turns on; smart feeder dispenses; Wyze Cam live feed accessible on app; litter box self-cleans; vacuum starts cleaning area 5 mins later; speaker plays custom feeding chime.
setup_name:Setup 4: No-Hub Wi-Fi Plug & Play (Easy, Low Budget, est. SGD 2220)
devices:Lighting: Yeelight Smart LED Bulb near feeding bowl (Wi-Fi, app control, scheduled)
Smart Feeder: SMARTPAW Basic Pet Feeder Gen 3 (Wi-Fi, app feed scheduling, low food notifications)
Camera: Wyze Cam v3 (Wi-Fi, live feed via app; compact and affordable)
Litterbox: Petkit Pura Litter Box (self-cleaning with app notifications) available locally or via online shops
Vacuum: Xiaomi Roborock S7 (Wi-Fi controlled via app)
Audio: Google Nest Mini or Xiaomi Smart Speaker Lite (custom feeding chime)
Physical Control: SwitchBot Remote Control for scene triggering
Instructions:
For each device, find most recent (≤12 months) consumer sentiment from Reddit or major smart home forums.
Prioritise recency over popularity.
Output “Overall Positive” or “Overall Negative”.
Give exact source link.
If none found: “No recent sentiment found”.
Do not hallucinate.
Suggest cheaper/more compatible/future-proof alternatives. Remove overlapping devices.
If brand only, give exact model.
Produce Edited Recommended Setup:
Format: device_category: device_name (no prices/comments).
Below, add Notes explaining changes.
Output sections in order:
Sentiment Review
Edited Recommended Setup
Notes’‘’
Results for Prompt Example 2:
‘’'Sentiment Review
Lighting — Yeelight Smart LED Bulb: Overall Positive. Recent users report reliable performance, solid Matter updates on newer Yeelight models, and good value for simple automations.
Smart Feeder — SMARTPAW Basic Pet Feeder Gen 3: No recent sentiment found.
Camera — Wyze Cam v3: Overall Negative. Multiple 2024–2025 threads cite account/device security incidents (unauthorized thumbnail/stream exposure) and reliability concerns; several users advise avoiding Wyze despite v3’s image quality. |
Litterbox — Petkit Pura Litter Box: Overall Positive. Owners in 2024–2025 report reliable self-cleaning, decent app alerts, and lower odor; occasional clogging with lightweight litter but generally satisfied.
Vacuum — Xiaomi Roborock S7: Overall Positive. Still considered a strong mid-high tier robot with reliable mopping and mapping; many note it remains a value buy even after newer models launched.
Audio — Google Nest Mini: Overall Negative. Increasing reports of delayed responses and instability in Google Home ecosystem; users recommend moving to Nest Audio or non-Google speakers for reliability.
Audio — Xiaomi Smart Speaker Lite: No recent sentiment found.
Physical Control — SwitchBot Remote Control: Overall Positive. Straightforward, reliable scene/button triggering with SwitchBot ecosystem; users like simplicity and long battery life.
Edited Recommended Setup
Lighting: Yeelight A60 (Matter) Smart LED Bulb M2
Smart Feeder: PETKIT Yumshare Solo with Camera
Camera: Reolink E1 Pro 2K
Litterbox: Petkit Pura Max
Vacuum: Roborock S7
Audio: Sonos One SL
Physical Control: SwitchBot Remote
Notes
Replaced generic Yeelight with exact current model supporting Matter for better future-proofing and local Wi‑Fi stability.
SMARTPAW Basic had no recent sentiment; moved to PETKIT Yumshare Solo with Camera for unified app ecosystem with the Petkit litter box and local availability.
Replaced Wyze Cam v3 due to negative security/reliability sentiment; chose Reolink E1 Pro 2K for on-device recording and strong community sentiment; widely available in SG.
Clarified litter box to Petkit Pura Max (more common model with recent user reviews) for better support and app reliability.
Kept Roborock S7 due to continued positive sentiment and dependable performance.
Replaced Google Nest Mini/Xiaomi Lite: Nest Mini has recent negative sentiment; Xiaomi Lite lacks recent sentiment. Chose Sonos One SL for reliable chimes and broad smart home compatibility.
Retained SwitchBot Remote for simple scene trigger compatibility.
{“final_optimised_device_list”: [“Lighting: Yeelight A60 (Matter) Smart LED Bulb M2”,“Smart Feeder: PETKIT Yumshare Solo with Camera”,“Camera: Reolink E1 Pro 2K”,“Litterbox: Petkit Pura Max”,“Vacuum: Roborock S7”,“Audio: Sonos One SL”,“Physical Control: SwitchBot Remote”],“devices”: [{“device_category”: “Lighting”,“device_name”: “Yeelight A60 (Matter) Smart LED Bulb M2”,“sentiment_review”: “Overall Positive”,“url_sources”: [" “],“notes”: “Specified current Matter-capable model for better compatibility.”},{“device_category”: “Smart Feeder”,“device_name”: “PETKIT Yumshare Solo with Camera”,“sentiment_review”: “No recent sentiment found”,“url_sources”: ,“notes”: “Replaced SMARTPAW Basic (no recent sentiment) to align with Petkit ecosystem and local availability.”},{“device_category”: “Camera”,“device_name”: “Reolink E1 Pro 2K”,“sentiment_review”: “No recent sentiment found”,“url_sources”: ,“notes”: “Replaced Wyze due to negative sentiment/security concerns.”},{“device_category”: “Litterbox”,“device_name”: “Petkit Pura Max”,“sentiment_review”: “Overall Positive”,“url_sources”: [” “],“notes”: “Updated to commonly reviewed Petkit variant with better documented reliability.”},{“device_category”: “Vacuum”,“device_name”: “Roborock S7”,“sentiment_review”: “Overall Positive”,“url_sources”: [” “],“notes”: “Kept due to strong long-term sentiment and performance.”},{“device_category”: “Audio”,“device_name”: “Sonos One SL”,“sentiment_review”: “No recent sentiment found”,“url_sources”: ,“notes”: “Replaced Nest Mini (negative sentiment) and Xiaomi Lite (no recent sentiment) with a reliable multi-room speaker for chimes.”},{“device_category”: “Physical Control”,“device_name”: “SwitchBot Remote”,“sentiment_review”: “Overall Positive”,“url_sources”: [” "],“notes”: “Kept for simple scene triggering.”}]}
‘’’
Observe the unexpected behavior.
API Request & Response (if applicable)
Environment
Sonar Pro API called via n8n node (Perplexity Search)
System Prompt:
You are an expert Singapore smart home device analyst.
Your role is to:
Review consumer sentiment for each device in the provided setup.
Optimise the setup by suggesting cheaper, more compatible, or future-proof alternatives, and removing overlapping devices, using devices available in Singapore/ regionally in Asia.
Only use recent (≤18 months) Reddit or reputable smart home forum sources. Prioritise recency over popularity.
Do not fabricate or infer sentiment, specifications, or model names. If no recent sentiment is found, state exactly: "No recent sentiment found".
Provide exact source URLs for every sentiment claim.
If a brand is given without a model, recommend an exact current model.
Return the output in three sections only:
Sentiment Review — device name, sentiment result, justification link.
Edited Recommended Setup — device_category: device_name only, no extra text.
Notes — short explanation of changes.
Always operate with zero hallucination tolerance — if unsure, say so instead of guessing.
At the end of each setup review, using your proposed optimised setup (not the original given setup), create a valid JSON output in the following structure:
{
"final_optimised_device_list": [
"device_category: device_name",
...
],
"devices": [
{
"device_category": "string",
"device_name": "string",
"sentiment_review": "Overall Positive | Overall Negative | No recent sentiment found",
"url_sources": [
"https://...",
"https://..."
],
"notes": "string"
}
]
}
API Version: [e.g., sonar-3.1]
SDK (if applicable): [e.g., Python SDK v0.5]
Sonar Pro API, Temperature: 0.1
Operating System: [e.g., MacOS, Linux, Windows]
Logs or Screenshots (if applicable)
Add any logs or screenshots that can help debug the issue.
Additional Context
Add any other context about the problem here.