How the hell can Google read my mind???

[Anonymous]

Okay-this is starting to freak me out a little as it is very Minority Report. Whenever (almost without fail) I type in a Google search, Google totally predicts what I'm asking for. I could see for example, if I typed in Whitney and the suggestions had to do with Whitney Houston. But, I'm not talking about that. For example: I'm a lawyer and wanted to look up opposing counsel that I never hear of. So, at work, I typed in the first name (very common like Lisa or Robert). And, wouldn't you know it, the person's first and last name appeared as a suggested search (Robert Smith attorney fairfax). Another example: I was looking at a recipe on line today that called for eggs. I had some eggs that I was unsure of. So-i typed in two words: how to. Before I had a chance to finish my query, the suggestions came up and the third was "how to tell if eggs have gone bad." how the hell does it know. The "how to" could have been anything!! Please help me out here with an explanation! Like I said, this happens all the time!

[Anonymous]

This freaks me out, too ... I'd love to hear some responses!

[Anonymous]

Just tried it, no, I wasnt wondering how to tie a tie or how to make it in America.
No conspiracy, just coincidence
But I do wonder who is watching me through this little camera on my computer, can they see me picking my nose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay-this is starting to freak me out a little as it is very Minority Report. Whenever (almost without fail) I type in a Google search, Google totally predicts what I'm asking for. I could see for example, if I typed in Whitney and the suggestions had to do with Whitney Houston. But, I'm not talking about that. For example: I'm a lawyer and wanted to look up opposing counsel that I never hear of. So, at work, I typed in the first name (very common like Lisa or Robert). And, wouldn't you know it, the person's first and last name appeared as a suggested search (Robert Smith attorney fairfax). Another example: I was looking at a recipe on line today that called for eggs. I had some eggs that I was unsure of. So-i typed in two words: how to. Before I had a chance to finish my query, the suggestions came up and the third was "how to tell if eggs have gone bad." how the hell does it know. The "how to" could have been anything!! Please help me out here with an explanation! Like I said, this happens all the time!

Probably commonly enough searched combinations of words

For example if you type

Cedar Point it knows to fill in Amusement Park

Also, Google just changed its privacy default to something plenty evil.

[Anonymous]

It's really not that amazing. Google knows based on your IP address where you are. So, if the lawyer you were looking up is in the same city (let's just say Fairfax) it's likely that a lot of searches that start with "Robert" in Fairfax are for that lawyer. They have all sorts of algorithms in place to determine what the most common searches are for geographic areas. I looked up "how to" once when I was in Florida and the third result was "apply for food stamps." I wasn't applying for food stamps, it's just that obviously, that was a very popular search in the area I was in.

As for how to tell if eggs are good, that's just a pretty common query in general.

[Anonymous]

It could also be that you've left yourself logged into your gmail account. Google has a setting to track your searches across browsers. If that's turned on, it'll remember what you've searched while the credentials are still there in your browser.

[Anonymous]

OP this article focuses on Target rather than Google. Enlightening.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

[Anonymous]

I love this feature of google.

Try typing in:

why do women

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just tried it, no, I wasnt wondering how to tie a tie or how to make it in America.
No conspiracy, just coincidence
But I do wonder who is watching me through this little camera on my computer, can they see me picking my nose?

I just tried, and it also offered me ways to tie a tie and make it in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just tried it, no, I wasnt wondering how to tie a tie or how to make it in America.
No conspiracy, just coincidence
But I do wonder who is watching me through this little camera on my computer, can they see me picking my nose?

I just tried, and it also offered me ways to tie a tie and make it in America.

That's what I got as well. The rest of the list was equally irrelevant to me. If it doesn't have relevant information on you, it brings up by default the most common searches starting with those words. If it has relevant information that it extracted from your web searches or from your e-mail, it alters the search results to reflect that.

[Anonymous]

Not directly relevant to search queries, but this is a fascinating article about companies using statistics and profiling to know everything about you, basically:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/shopping-habits.html?src=me&ref=general

The part about figuring out who is pregnant is especially interesting/scary.

[Anonymous]

I am often creeped out by this too. Sometimes I'll be reading an article or book on my my iPad and come across an unfamiliar word or event and go to google it. All I have to do is type in a few letters and BOOM! There's whatever I was looking for. I wondered for a while if somehow the google function on my iPad is somehow connected with what I am reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love this feature of google.

Try typing in:

why do women

got this - http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/179981.page
Why do women who choose not to get an epidural feel they should be congratulated?

[Anonymous]

Your computer caches record the things you search. Like if you bought diapers on Amazon a week ago, it might remember something about that for when you go to search about contraception, getting pregnant, children's issues, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just tried it, no, I wasnt wondering how to tie a tie or how to make it in America.
No conspiracy, just coincidence
But I do wonder who is watching me through this little camera on my computer, can they see me picking my nose?

I just tried, and it also offered me ways to tie a tie and make it in America.

That's what I got as well. The rest of the list was equally irrelevant to me. If it doesn't have relevant information on you, it brings up by default the most common searches starting with those words. If it has relevant information that it extracted from your web searches or from your e-mail, it alters the search results to reflect that.

I got these as well, but the third option provided to me was "how to delete facebook". Less than 5 minutes ago I sent an email to my husband telling him I'm going to give up facebook for lent. Creepy.