The Demographics of Web Search 131
adaviel sends a link to work out of Yahoo Research indicating that demographics can help Web searches; e.g. a women searching for "wagner" probably wants the 18th-century German composer, while for men in the US "wagner" is a paint sprayer. The Yahoo researchers claim that by taking user demographics into account, "they managed to get the chosen link to appear as the top-ranked result 7 per cent more often than in the standard Yahoo search." New Scientist mentions this research and two other innovative adjuncts to current search practice: following the mouse cursor as a proxy for eye tracking, and taking back bearings on online criminals by studying the searches they make. (The latter raises disburbing privacy questions: would you want Google trolling through your search data? How about governments?)
Sauce for the goose. (Score:5, Funny)
> would you want Google trolling through your search data? How about governments?
Heck yes I want Google trolling through governments' search data.
Thanks but no thanks (Score:4, Funny)
I don't want my neighbors to find out about my obsessive and crippling fear of genetically engineered dinosaurs next time they do a search for "Toronto Raptors" from my computer.
Re:Why is it red? (Score:2, Funny)
Because you're in the target demographic.
Good luck with that (Score:1, Funny)
When I'm searching for pregnant-futanari-on-hermaphrodite-furry, I really mean pregnant-futanari-on-hermaphrodite-furry.
Re:Correction: (Score:5, Funny)
Are you sure? I just searched and the first result is this Slashdot article which clearly says that he was an 18th century composer, right in the summary.
Re:Speaking as a female slashdotter (Score:2, Funny)
what else would you expect from a site full of paranoid libertarian linux-using pedophile virgins?
Re:Thanks but no thanks (Score:1, Funny)
I don't want my neighbors to find out about my obsessive and crippling fear of genetically engineered dinosaurs next time they do a search for "Toronto Raptors" from my computer.
What do you get for "Chicago Bears"?
Re:wow... Just, wow.. (Score:1, Funny)
Apparently search *wasn't* able to teach the author to spell. :)
Re:wow... Just, wow.. (Score:3, Funny)
We are borg. Resistance is futile. Make us a sammich and give us your wallet, man-slave.
Re:Wrong century (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Correction: (Score:5, Funny)
Are you sure? I just searched and the first result is this Slashdot article which clearly says that he was an 18th century composer, right in the summary.
Quick, somebody update Wikipedia! You can cite this Slashdot article as your source.
Re:Correction: (Score:3, Funny)
Are you sure? I just searched and the first result is this Slashdot article which clearly says that he was an 18th century composer, right in the summary.
No it doesn't, it says he's a 20th century paint-sprayer company.