Google launches new service, letting you read the records they keep of your searches!

Google Inc. is experimenting with a new feature that enables the users of its online search engine to see all of their past search requests and results, creating a computer peephole that could prove as embarrassing as it is helpful.

Activating Google's "My Search History" service, unveiled Wednesday afternoon at http://labs.google.com, requires users to create a personal login with a password. Users of Google's e-mail, discussion groups and answer services can simply use their existing log-ins.

The service allows users to decide if they want Google to automatically recognize them without having to log in each time they use the same computer. Those who prefer to log in on each visit can use a link that will appear in the right-hand corner of Google's home page.

Users will be able to pinpoint a search conducted on a particular day, using a calendar that's displayed on the history page. The service sometimes will point out a past search result related to a new search request.

Google is hoping the service becomes so valuable that people will use its search engine even more frequently than they already do, giving the company more opportunities to display text-based ads that boost its profits.

"We think there is some value in providing people with visibility into their past activity on Google," said Marissa Mayer, the company's director of consumer Web products.

The online service is designed to store years of each individual's search activity, although users can remove selected links from their personal archive at any time.

Because the history feature requires an individual login, it could help Google better understand each user so it can customize its results to reflect a person's specific interests, said industry analyst Charlene Li of Forrester Research.

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What do you guys think of this? I've never seen a company so blatently trying to get every bit of information about you as possible and trying to sell it as a good thing as google, except the government lol

With Gmail reading your email, and this new service keeping track of your searches, and Googles other "services" they would know almost all of your online activity, surfing habits, etc.

What do you all think about this?

From a webmasters point of view, whilst the privacy concerns are there, this is ultimately a good thing and i can see how this may potentially benefit us in the immediate future.

Think about it for a second, Google will eventually have a large database of users, their name, their address, their surfing habits. Id love to be able to have a listing on Google which said something like..

'Davie Jones' Get Instant Unlimited Access To Our Porn Site.

Or even, 'Check out our porn site and meet models from 'Your City' tonight.

As i say ot to negate the privacy issues but, by collecting this type of data im almost positive this is where we will be heading with Google, customized search results that include an end-users name.

Oh and, if you dont want to have your info there, you dont have to submit it ;)

Regards,

Lee

Yes I agree, from a business persons standpoint, this is a great idea, but at what cost?

Imagine a world Lee where everyones surfing habits, favorite sites, email content, etc. can be purchased from any company. Religious organizations could buy that information to push their agenda on you, as could political and social groups.

Imagine one of the above wanting to dramatically affect our community, so, they buy our demographic information and force the top Gay owned, or Gay traffic, sites out of business or into new ownership to push their agenda. This is just one, very small example. When consumers habits are monitored it leaves the door open to a multitude of problems, not just making money for a company, don't you think?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Squirt

Imagine a world Lee where everyones surfing habits, favorite sites, email content, etc. can be purchased from any company. Religious organizations could buy that information to push their agenda on you, as could political and social groups.

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Also lets imagine a world where the sky is bright green and it rains marshmallows on a daily basis.

Imagination, whilst a good thing in many case, is also a bad thing when used overactively ;)

Lets not forget, this information only becomes available to Google if someone chooses to submit it to them directly, if not, it doesnt really make much difference to you or i, unless of course, you have submitted your information, willingly ;)

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lee

Imagination, whilst a good thing in many case, is also a bad thing when used overactively ;)

Lets not forget, this information only becomes available to Google if someone chooses to submit it to them directly, if not, it doesnt really make much difference to you or i, unless of course, you have submitted your information, willingly ;)

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Lee you should watch the documentary titled "The Corporation" It's a British documentary and show's the path corporations are taking, and the history of corporations.

You and I know the value of personal information. So does the government, big business and politics. The public is being groomed to think that, if they're not doing anything wrong, then there's nothing wrong with people knowing what they're doing.

It's ethically irresponsible to create a society of people that think there is nothing wrong with everything they do being monitored, not knowing the reason for being monitored is to control them, especially when they are being lied to by being told "it's for your own good" or "it's for your safety" or "It's so we can make better products and give you what you want", when in reality it's so a company can make more of a profit, or other even more sinister reasons. IMHO :high:

Squirt, i neither agree nor disagree with you on this topic my point is simply, until we know HOW the collected information is going to be used, there isnt really a lot that can be done about it.

What if they are simply trying to build up a demographics database for internal use to make them more profitable? What if they are using this information to provide customized search results for their end user thus enhancing the Google results for everyone that submits their information? What if they will be using this information to sell to spammers, what if...

What ifs, for all intents and purposes, mean absolutely less than squatt. We could all sit here and hypothesize what will ultimately happen with the information collected who knows, maybe you are right and Google wants to take over the world, then again, maybe you are wrong and they just want to use that information to enhance their search results?

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lee

Squirt, i neither agree nor disagree with you on this topic my point is simply, until we know HOW the collected information is going to be used, there isnt really a lot that can be done about it.

What if they are simply trying to build up a demographics database for internal use to make them more profitable? What if they are using this information to provide customized search results for their end user thus enhancing the Google results for everyone that submits their information? What if they will be using this information to sell to spammers, what if...

What ifs, for all intents and purposes, mean absolutely less than squatt. We could all sit here and hypothesize what will ultimately happen with the information collected who knows, maybe you are right and Google wants to take over the world, then again, maybe you are wrong and they just want to use that information to enhance their search results?

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Well the question isn't what's Google going to do with the information, it's what are the people they sell the information to going to do with it.

An examples of how information about us is used in negative ways to control us and our lives are abundant... look at the no fly list the government has. Look at credit reporting agencies. I could not pay someone who ripped me off, yet have other companies think I'm a credit risk. A lot of completely innocent people are on the governments no fly list.

Information about artwork on display at an exhibition caused the FBI to be called and go to the exhibition to interrogate the curator and artist on why he created anti Bush artwork.

Sometimes the most innocent of intentions create the worst of results. Giving this extremely personal data to ANYONE is a risk that should not be taken. IMHO ... I do respect your opinion and see where you're coming from. :high: