I'm impressed at Google's snoopiness!

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Sidestep

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#1036839 5-May-2014 10:58

DarthKermit:

I don't use credit cards, rarely use EFTPOS, I don't use cellphones, and rarely use WIFI. I don't use Facebook, Twitter or any other social media sites. That's just me.

Potentially subversive - you'll be the first to go

gzt

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#1037078 5-May-2014 15:23

Geektastic:
eracode: Recently I bought something on Trademe and the seller emailed me the pickup address, say 10 Smith Street. I wasn't sure where that was so went to Google Maps and typed in "Smith". Before I got any further, GM flashed up 10 Smith Street as a suggested search term. That creeped me out a bit.

I've seen that with tv shows. Watching some random program about Hitler allegedly living in Argentina. It was called Grey Wolf. I wasn't sure if it was a spoof so grabbed the iphone to google it. Got as far as Gre and it came up with Grey Wolf Hitler!!

Scary.

It's telling you many other people did exactly the same thing. See the girl in the red dress? Look again. ; ).

Geektastic

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#1037083 5-May-2014 15:31

gzt:
Geektastic:
eracode: Recently I bought something on Trademe and the seller emailed me the pickup address, say 10 Smith Street. I wasn't sure where that was so went to Google Maps and typed in "Smith". Before I got any further, GM flashed up 10 Smith Street as a suggested search term. That creeped me out a bit.

I've seen that with tv shows. Watching some random program about Hitler allegedly living in Argentina. It was called Grey Wolf. I wasn't sure if it was a spoof so grabbed the iphone to google it. Got as far as Gre and it came up with Grey Wolf Hitler!!

Scary.

It's telling you many other people did exactly the same thing. See the girl in the red dress? Look again. ; ).

I watched a program about crazy people and insane piercings over lunch - recorded from a couple of days ago.

Wanted to know more about the presenter, Katie Price. I entered 'Kati' as I was watching it and her name was the first suggestion. Freaky...!

gzt

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#1037092 5-May-2014 15:42

Search suggestion results for me from 'kati'

1. Katie Holmes
2. Katikati
3. Katie Hopkins
4. Katie Price

Either you are wrong about the ranking or Google already knows I'm more interested in visiting Tauranga than Katie Price.

Sidestep

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#1037279 5-May-2014 19:32

gzt: Search suggestion results for me from 'kati'

1. Katie Holmes
2. Katikati
3. Katie Hopkins
4. Katie Price

Either you are wrong about the ranking or Google already knows I'm more interested in visiting Tauranga than Katie Price.

Google does know you'd rather see Tauranga than Katie, and Geektastic the reverse..

gzt

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#1037396 5-May-2014 22:23

I know they know but, are you saying they present search suggestions in different order per user?

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jarledb

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#1037406 5-May-2014 22:50

gzt: I know they know but, are you saying they present search suggestions in different order per user?

They have been doing that for a while. Its called "personalized search".
http://searchengineland.com/flavors-of-google-personalized-search-139286

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gzt

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#1037426 5-May-2014 23:05

None of that article covers search suggestions and the order of such.

I was hoping Geektastic (or someone else) would post their 1-4 search suggestion results for 'kati' for comparison. But in the circumstances perhaps that is not possible lol.

Dynamic

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#1037427 5-May-2014 23:11

gzt: None of that article covers search suggestions and the order of such.

I was hoping Geektastic (or someone else) would post their 1-4 search suggestion results for 'kati' for comparison. But in the circumstances perhaps that is not possible lol.

Katie Piper
Katie Holmes
Katikati
Katie Hopkins

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Sidestep

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#1037514 6-May-2014 08:50

gzt: I know they know but, are you saying they present search suggestions in different order per user?

Mine were. At the time I got a different result for my “Kati..” search, no Katikati on my first page.. Katie Price way down too.

I assumed Geektastic's Katie Price was a “Google Instant” predictive search result specific to him.

But I've noticed even with no "instant" and barring obvious differences – him searching on google.co.uk (where Katie Price was 2nd on my device) and you on .co.nz or one of you being logged in to a Google account, different IP location, or device and os.. The result rankings still seem to be personalised.

I picked up my wife's ipad (which hasn't been used yet this trip to NZ), used 'google.co.nz' site, not logged into a G account - and got a completely different lineup of results. The first 'kiwi' result was at the top of the 2nd page (Katipo).

I assume her different user context and intent was sussed out by a clever algorithm

Sidestep

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#1037517 6-May-2014 08:58

Hers was
Kati - Mali
Kati - Wiktionary
Kati Morton - Youtube
Kati - Images..
but that was last night, a fair while after Gt's original search

Edit: her predictive searches were: Katie couric, Katie holmes, Katie cassidy

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