Although already tiring, the discussion about Google Web History is anything but over.
Difference is: it's just gotten a bit scarier.
So far we're thinking about Web History as the personalized search that isn't, general user profiles and highly targeted ads.
But how about psychologically profiling you? Figuring out what kind of a person you might be?
Far fetched?
Google has filed a patent detailing how it can profile players of online virtual world games -- in real time.
Profiling will take place by evaluating language used as well as game play style.
"User dialogue (e.g., from role playing games, simulation games, etc) may be used to characterise the user (e.g., literate, profane, blunt or polite, quiet etc). Also, user play may be used to characterise the user (e.g., cautious, risk-taker, aggressive, non-confrontational, stealthy, honest, cooperative, uncooperative, etc)."
How you can be gamed with this (no pun intended)?
"If the user has been playing for over two hours continuously, the system may display ads for Pizza Hut, Coke, coffee."
How much of this can be used outside of virtual worlds? How much of this is a testbed for psychological, toolbar-driven Web History?
About the Author: Ruud Hein
