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Google Patent for User Targeted Search Results

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the in-the-crosshairs dept.

lorenbake writes "Scoble is one of many to report that Google has filed a patent for user targeted, or attention targeted, search results which will change the ranking of Google's organic results per each individual user based upon that user's search behavior, location, sites visited, and even 'typing behavior'. How could Google build such user profiles to serve customized organic (non-paid) results to? Tracking via their network of desktop apps, advertising, Gmail, and other network services."

5 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. Just my 2 cents... by Froze · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Before this goes all big brother...
    I just want to say that I hove no problem with targeted advertising at all. If there is a way that does not impose on my personal freedoms to selectiviely show me things that I might be interested in purchasing it is not only ok but much preffered to the massive spamvertisement campaigns that go on now.

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    -- The morphemes of your disquisition are ascertainable, but they have eschewed an ambit of transpicuous exposition.
  2. All I want.. by lightyear4 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    All I want...is the ability to easily opt out.

  3. All the world's information by Ifni · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... includes yours.

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    Oh, was that my outside voice?

  4. it's all good by intmainvoid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Makes perfect sense for google to track which links i click on - essentially i'm filtering out the type results I don't want, so if the search algorithm can learn from that and produce more relevant results, then great!

    Privacy isn't such an issue on this considering Google already has this information on a per user level - this probably doesn't raise any additional privacy concerns.

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    Drag n' Drop DVD Recommendations
  5. They probably have to do this by max+born · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Google is not necessarily evil for doing taking out a patent. We live in a world of IP and patents. They probably have to do this for protection.

    However, if Google starts using this patent to thwart their competition then they'll be making a mockery of their own do-no-evil slogan.