Google Patent for User Targeted Search Results

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."

Do No Evil

[Soporific]

Do no evil. Unless you have shareholders?

~S

Big Brother is watching

[martinultima]

2084. Google will rule the government. Wherever you look, everything you see will be tailored to what you want to see. Screw normal advertising, you'll be seeing "Google AdSense billboards" which display roadside alerts and stuff based on whatever you're thinking. Google is the new thought police...

Evil, Google. Google, Evil.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure you two will get along.

The main reason any big company patents anything is so they can violate the patents of other companies.

"What's that, Microsoft? We're violating your patent #314159265? Well you're violating our patent number #299792458. Lets call it even, shall we?"

Help me Slashdot!!!

[Psionicist]

It's about (= 'Google 'good), but also about (= 'patents 'evil), what to do, what to THINK!!!

geez

[Anonymous Coward]

everyones jumping on the organic bandwagon... wonder when we'll see low carb google

Filing a patent is EVIL

[Anonymous Coward]

Since filing a patent is evil, Google has violated its "do no evil" policy. Google does like most other companies do immoral things when it benefits the stock holders. Now that we know that, can we please not get a stupid Google story in Slashdot every day? It is tiresome and the company is just as evil as all other companies.

Get ready to watch ...

[ngunton]

... as all the Google fanboys do mental summersaults to twist reality to fit the conflicting notions that Google can do nothing wrong, and yet web patents are so very, very wrong...

I can see it now, future headline:

Google CEO Revealed as Beelzebub Prince of Darkness, Mountain View New 7th Circle of Hell

Slashdot comments:

"Well, you know, Satan *is* very misunderstood"

"Gmail still rocks! I don't care if the Google minions sacrifice a kitten every time I check my mail, as long as I have my 100 TB of storage! Whoohoo!"

"I just sold my eternal soul for more relevant search results - but hey, I got a great price on this DVD player! Thanks Asmodeus!"

"My monitor smokes a bit when I do searches now, but hey - I can find out what all my friends have been *really* thinking about me! Hey, this new GoogleBrainCrawler kicks butt! Go Google! But ... make the voices stop, please?"

"Yahoo! made a deal with the ancient Nordic Gods but they're just playing catch up at this point"

"Jeez guys, if it was Microsoft making a deal with Belial then we'd be all over it but just because it's Google, you're all ... erk ... ack ... (transmission terminated)"

you are what you buy

[moviepig.com]

...change the ranking of Google's organic results per each individual user...

Okay, here's a tinfoil-wrapped theory for your light enjoyment:

Psychologists have long claimed that advertising affects our psyches (e.g., cartoon shows' cereal and toy ads, the NFL's beer ads...). Google proposes to detect those changes in our psyches, and presumably to reinforce them. This could amount to a self-fulfilling and dangerous feedback-loop... resulting in mental image-burn, if not outright transformation. Before the body-snatching takes hold, I'm writing my congressperson...

Re:Fine by me

[aoe2bug]

lol, i agree

Weaving A Story

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

I'm sure I could write a witty comment about how the once noble Google has fallen from grace and sold its soul, rising like a rocket to the grat and smog filled heights of modern corperate decadence, but the storyline has probably been patented by now.

Sweet Revenge

[sco08y]

We'll have sweet revenge when the goatse trolls run an innocuous search for their boss and get their "personalized results."

Re:Grant your trust for the right reasons

[Artevelde]

Does anybody else find it odd that the Nation article has google adwords in the lower right?

Apt quotefest...

[tumbleweedsi]

PADME: So this is how liberty dies, to the sound of thunderous applause.

Well done Google... another patent... another cool app... but then all in all it's just another brick in the wall.

Cool!

[CGP314]

So when I google myself [google.co.uk] I'll look really popular on the web!