| You go to Google and enter your search term. Big | | | | and the results likely skewed toward the client's |
| Brother, the totalitarian character from George | | | | industry. The bad news is that the search engine |
| Orwell's novel 1984, watches with detached interest. | | | | optimization firm will be hard-pressed to demonstrate |
| You see, to Big Brother, you are only a number - but | | | | this - not to mention that the results that the client |
| he'd like to know as much about you as he can. | | | | using a Google program has on its own personal |
| Knowing you allows Big Brother to do many things - | | | | machines will almost certainly not match up with the |
| both good and evil. | | | | results that the firm is reporting (although the client |
| Alright, enough of the "Big Brother" comparison - it's | | | | machines should have better results, for the same |
| been done many times before (and done many times | | | | reasons cited above). |
| better). However, there is an important central point | | | | Some people find the practice of storing information |
| to be made about personalized search. Google is now | | | | for personalized search purposes disturbing; others |
| (and has been for some time) collecting data on | | | | find the end result to be useful (still others find |
| individual users, and they are assuming that users will | | | | themselves experiencing an odd combination of both |
| trust them with this data to "Do No Evil," as their | | | | reactions). In defense of the engines, it is not as if |
| famous slogan goes. Only time will tell whether the | | | | they are building a dossier on individuals - again, you |
| trust is well-placed, or if people are willing to trust | | | | are only a number to them. However, the potential |
| search engines with this type of data at all. | | | | for misuse of the data is fairly high. |
| The basic principle behind personalized search is | | | | There are many advertising firms out there already |
| simple. When you go to Google and type in a search | | | | that go through the cookies on your machine to |
| query, Google stores the data. As you return to the | | | | figure out which ads will have the best effect on |
| engine, a profile of your search habits is built up over | | | | you. If you've ever been on a website and seen a |
| time. With this information, Google can understand | | | | banner ad that is directly related to something you |
| more about your interests and serve up more | | | | have been doing research on lately, it is most likely |
| relevant search results. | | | | not a coincidence. The ad platform simply browsed |
| For instance, let's say that you have shown an | | | | through the cookies on your machine to find out |
| interest in the topic of sport fishing in your search | | | | what topic held your interest, and dropped in a |
| queries, while your neighbor has shown an interest in | | | | related ad once it determined what that topic was. |
| musical instruments in his search queries. Over time, | | | | Search engines have been buying firms with this |
| as these preferences are made clear to the engine, | | | | technology lately; notable recent purchases include |
| your personalized search results for the term "bass" | | | | that of DoubleClick by Google and aQuantive by |
| will largely be comprised of results that cover the fish | | | | Microsoft. There seems to be little doubt that your |
| while your neighbor's results for "bass" will be | | | | search history will be combined with existing |
| comprised of results that primarily cover the musical | | | | ad-serving technology to deliver even more relevant |
| instrument. | | | | ads. Whether this constitutes misuse seems to be |
| At present, you need to have signed up for a Google | | | | debatable - some people seem to have no problem |
| service for your results to be personalized. Such | | | | with it, while it makes many others fairly uneasy. |
| services include Gmail, AdWords, Google Toolbar, and | | | | Privacy issues that arise from personalized search are |
| many others. By default, as long as you are signed in | | | | also a big question. The EU recently announced that it |
| to one of these programs, your personal search data | | | | is probing into how long Google stores user |
| will be collected. The term "at present" is used | | | | information (this probe was subsequently extended |
| because Google certainly could implement | | | | to include all search engines). AOL recently committed |
| personalized search on any user of the engine, | | | | a serious blunder when it released search data from |
| regardless of whether he or she has a Google | | | | 500,000 of its users, and it was discovered that it |
| account. Google already places a cookie, or unique | | | | was fairly easy to identify many people by the |
| identifier, on the machine of anyone who types in a | | | | search terms that they use (anybody ever "ego |
| search query on Google - it would not be hard for | | | | surf" - that is, type your own name into a search |
| them to use that information, rather than the Google | | | | engine to see what comes up? If so, you wouldn't |
| account, to collect individual user data and personalize | | | | be hard to spot). In addition, since the IP address of |
| results. It is quite possible that Google is testing the | | | | the computer creating the query is also reportedly |
| waters of personalized search with people who have | | | | tracked, a court order forcing the engine and the ISP |
| opted in to one of its services and will expand the | | | | (Internet Service Provider) to provide specific search |
| system to all users if there is limited uproar or | | | | data on individuals is a distinct possibility - the |
| government intervention. | | | | technology required to deliver upon such a demand is |
| For search engine optimization firms, the major shift | | | | already in use. |
| brought about by personalized search will be in how | | | | Unless the government intervenes, the question will |
| they report on Google ranking data to clients. When | | | | probably be decided by personal preference. As it |
| collecting this data, they will have to run from a | | | | becomes more common knowledge that Google (and |
| "clean" machine - that is, one that has no Google | | | | other engines) store this type of data to enable |
| programs or cookies on it. The baseline results that | | | | personalized search, many users will take measures |
| are reported to the client will essentially be a | | | | to block its use. |
| snapshot of what a search engine user would see if | | | | Are the search engines that collect this data "Doing |
| they had no Google software installed. The good | | | | No Evil?" The answer, I believe, will depend on each |
| news is that Google account holders who have | | | | individual's definition of evil. In the meantime, don't be |
| shown an interest in certain products and services will | | | | surprised when you type in a search query, and the |
| likely have results more favorable to the client than | | | | engine seems to be reading your mind. It isn't, really - |
| the baseline results indicate since personalized search | | | | it's merely parsing through your memories. |
| assures that their search histories will be reviewed | | | | |