Comments on: The Google flu search story is pretty interesting http://www.texttechnologies.com/2008/11/11/the-google-flu-search-story-is-pretty-interesting/ Understanding technology ... in both senses of the phrase Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:32:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Bob Carpenter http://www.texttechnologies.com/2008/11/11/the-google-flu-search-story-is-pretty-interesting/#comment-54575 Bob Carpenter Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:59:06 +0000 http://www.texttechnologies.com/?p=294#comment-54575 Epidemiologists are using real-time chief complaint data from emergency room visits. And bio-sensors for air and water quality. They're not all waiting for physicians to report to the CDC. And as someone else brought up on another blog, the search-log approach is easily game-able by hackers. Epidemiologists are using real-time chief complaint data from emergency room visits. And bio-sensors for air and water quality. They’re not all waiting for physicians to report to the CDC.

And as someone else brought up on another blog, the search-log approach is easily game-able by hackers.

]]> By: Daniel Tunkelang http://www.texttechnologies.com/2008/11/11/the-google-flu-search-story-is-pretty-interesting/#comment-53856 Daniel Tunkelang Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:48:27 +0000 http://www.texttechnologies.com/?p=294#comment-53856 Indeed, I think this is a positive development, as I blogged at http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/11/11/big-google-can-be-benign/ But it is incumbent on Google to build trust by being transparent about how they manage personally identifiable information. Applications like these, for all the good they contribute will understandably raise concerns because they remind users of the potential for abuse. I do expect we will see renewed pressure on search engines, whether through the law or the media, to limit the data they collect. Indeed, I think this is a positive development, as I blogged at http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/11/11/big-google-can-be-benign/

But it is incumbent on Google to build trust by being transparent about how they manage personally identifiable information. Applications like these, for all the good they contribute will understandably raise concerns because they remind users of the potential for abuse. I do expect we will see renewed pressure on search engines, whether through the law or the media, to limit the data they collect.

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