[ news_security_news ]
Google Profile Ranking Patent And Privacy
John Stith
Staff Writer
2005-11-08
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
Google recently filed for a new patent for a system and method for using a user profile to order placed content in search results returned by a search engine. This will allow Google to rank organic results based on the user profile. Is this a brilliant innovation or an incredibly invasion of privacy?
A number of blogs and website picked up on the Google patent story. Google is working on building a new side for returning search results (they may already have). The primary point is to base it on a user created profile. The user inputs some information and this will help Google determine the best SERPs based on your own wants and needs instead of a generic result.
One point brought up by Search Engine Journal discussed how Google would know a user on a computer share by multiple users, like in a library for example. Google suggested some traditional techniques like pass words. They also mentioned some type of biometric type of thing like how one types and or how moves the mouse. What? They can base it on a human motion like mouse movement or keyboard strokes? While one over at Search Engine Journal suggested said it's unlikely they would do that, it certainly warrants consideration.
Privacy issues are a major point of contention on the Internet now and many say one is delusional for being worried about it because it's pointless. But this looks like something different. It's one thing to see laser motion sensors in a Sean Connery movie. It's entirely something else to use them on your computer and actually track your behavior with it.
While Google's intentions may not be evil, the information could certainly be put to less than desirable uses. Going after the world's information may be their goal. But it doesn't seem to have occurred to them that some information doesn't need to be gone after.
About the Author:
John is a staff writer for SecurityProNews covering cyber security.
More news_security_news Articles
Insider Reports RSS Feed
|
|
iEntry 10th Anniversary
RSS
Archive
