Here’s further proof in support of my theory that Google is taking over the world and has almost certainly tapped my phones- their latest project, Google Flu Trends, tracks projected flu activity based on the frequency of related search terms. From the site:
“We’ve found that certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. Google Flu Trends uses aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity in your state up to two weeks faster than traditional flu surveillance systems.”
It’s a fascinating concept that draws on Google’s virtual monopoly on web searching and our haste to Google every symptom that we encounter. It’s no surprise that Google searches provide earlier information than traditional medical data- when was the last time that you went to the doctor without first checking with Dr. Google? Whether I’ve got a sniffle, a sore throat, a burning sensation when I pee, or full-on Ebola, I only head to the doctor when the boundless knowledge of the intertubes tells me to. Even then, I’ll probably wait a few takes and take some aspirin to see if the internal bleeding and voices in my head subside on their own.
Before you break out the tinfoil hat, there should be very few privacy concerns with this project, as no personal data is kept (or at least that’s what THEY tell me) and the site monitors overall trends, not specific searches. If you Google “I’ve got drug resistant tuberculosis”, it’s unlikely that CDC agents are going to show up at your house to quarantine you. However, it does raise an interesting question as to what other federal agencies may be benefiting from Google search data- do policing and security agencies monitor data on suspicious search data? And would a court be willing to order Google and ISPs to disclose IP addresses to locate the originators of certain specific searches? I suspect (and hope) the answer would be no, as an interest in a certain subject can hardly be construed as reasonable grounds for a search. Perhaps I should start Googling bomb-making instructions just to see if the strange delivery van shows up outside my house.
I’m glad to see that there is finally a legitimate use for Google Trends beyond my personal amusement. I have long enjoyed monitoring the interest of the internet masses in certain subjects for pure entertainment purposes. For example, during the BluRay versus HDTV war, it was fun to predict the winner based on Google searches. Similarly, it’s interesting to see how searches for LCD TVs significantly outnumber those for Plasma TVs. For some searches, the truly fascinating aspects come not from the pure volumes, but the peaks in interest in certain subjects. For example, take a look at this snapshot showing an analysis of the searches for “dildo” (shown in blue) and “vibrator” (shown in red):
There is an unmistakable jump in search volume in the final weeks of 2005. My only possible explanation is that a lot of people had a significantly more interesting Christmas than I did.
To Google, I offer my congratulations on putting your search data to a better use than just amusing my 12-year-old boy sensibilities. Kudos, Google, Kudos!
You might also enjoy:
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Somebody had a holly jolly christmas…