Operation "Screw Up Google's Data Mining"

[McCamy Taylor]

There is one reason Google (and other internet search engines) record our seach history. They use the information to create consumer profiles that can be sold for lots of hard cash to advertisers and others who want to target their online ads. Say you regularly visit a site with pop-ups. Why should P&G pay to have you listen to an ad for a tampon when you are a guy who will never use a tampon? Maybe that time could be better spent advertising Trojans.

Say you do a search for erectle dysfunction. That is the cue for Cialis and Viagra to start targetting you with direct to consumer ads. All they have to do is pay someone (like Google) to tell them which Americans are concerned about "erectile dysfunction."

Now, if you value your privacy, but you do not feel like logging on anonymously at the public library every time you need to do a web search, there is hope. I call it "Operation Fuck Up Google's Data Mining." It is very, very simple.

First, pick a book. A dictionary is best. It does not have to be an English dictionary. It could be some other type of book, as long as it is a book about something that you do not really give a damn about. So, for example, you could pick up one of your grandmother's gardening books. Pick a page at random and then find a random word. Search the random word. Do a few related searches. Bookmark one of the sites under your favorites. Every time you log on after that, be sure to open that "favorite" page. Say the word you chose was "hydrangeas." Soon, Google will become convinced that you are a gardener with a passion for hydrangeas. You will start getting targetted advertising from nurseries. You will laugh to know that Calloways is wating its money.

Do this often enough, and the "data" that Google "mines" will become so worthless, that no one will pay for it. Better yet, write software that will do random searches and create randon profiles for anyone. Suddenly, the mayor is deeply interested in suitcase bombs while the local crack dealer is a committed Tea Party member. Even the U.S. government will not be able to spy on you. Give said software away for free. Call it "Privacy Protection."

Ok everyone. You know what to do. Get out the phone book or the cookbook or the dictionay and get to work creating your fake profile. Drive the folks at Google insane trying to figure out what kind of person loves combustion engines and Hello Kitty and the Killing Fields of Cambodia and treatment for hoof and mouth disease.

[McCamy Taylor]

1. Wee! That was fun. Who knew (blanks) were so affordable.

[McCamy Taylor]

2. Oops! Duplicate post about how cheap submarines are.

j/k "submarine" was not my random word.

As a sience fiction writer, I probably am not good "data mining" material, since my searches are so (seemingly) random and varied. I think Facebook's data mining is probably still a better bet for your dollar if you are trying to target your ads---at least until everyone starts lying on their Facebook page to preserve their privacy, too.

[The Doctor.]

3. There's another perspective here.

Sure, they're snooping for personal info that might be used to influence a prospective consumer to buy, buy, buy.

I get it, but I really don't see it as 'evil' at all.

For example: I've studied sword technique for a while now. My facebook profile makes some small mention of that. I get ads for swords on my facebook page. I click them on occasion. What I find are items that I can instantly recognize as garbage. I don't click on them after that. One ad did show up that interests me. 'Shock knives' for CQC knife training. I'd like something like that, but I did the research and I'm not sure if the 7500 volts is high enough to make an impression. A basic stun-gun can be >100,000 volts. So I need to figure out what kind of amperage these things can deliver.

I'm interested because for me, they have a very novel and practical utility. I'd like to go from 'Indian Rubber' to 'Shock' if the price can justify it.

What am I saying?

I don't mind being 'targeted' as a consumer if it helps put me in touch with a product or service that I might be genuinely interested in. It opens up possibilities for me. I like that.

Now, if someone is not a savvy shopper, I can understand how such a thing might appear to be 'predatory', but it's not.

The only one who can convince you that you need something is you. If someone else can convince you that you need something you do not, then you do not know yourself or your needs.

That's your problem.

[McCamy Taylor]

5. The real issue is does Google have a right to make money on the side

and if Google can do it, why not your health insurance company and why can't Cigna tell the FBI (if the FBI is willing to fork over the money) that you have been treated for substance abuse including crack cocaine addiction so that they can send an undercover officer to your job to either sell you some crack or lie that he sold you some crack so that the government can then threaten to prosecute you unless you agree to become an informant and help them set up some people who would be more than happy to encase your legs in cement and toss you over a bridge. Which could be seriously harmful to your mental as well as physical health.

[jeff47]

10. Wow, that's a massive leap

if Google can do it, why not your health insurance company

Because your health insurance company doesn't have your search history, and is covered by medical privacy laws.

why can't Cigna tell the FBI (if the FBI is willing to fork over the money) that you have been treated for substance abuse including crack cocaine addiction

Medical privacy laws. You'd make a fortune on the lawsuit.

so that they can send an undercover officer to your job to either sell you some crack or lie that he sold you some crack so that the government can then threaten to prosecute you

Well, if you actually buy the crack, there isn't much that can be done for you. If they only claim you bought the crack, you get the case thrown out due to the medical privacy laws the FBI and your insurance company violated. Then you retire on the settlement from your lawsuit. Or if you are actually a crack addict, you have a massive party and die from an overdose.

[McCamy Taylor]

15. Don't look now, but your medical history has been for sale

for years. Pharmacies sell it. Insurance companies trade it. And the so called "medical privacy law" that is forcing your psychiatrist to put all your intimate secrets on a computer that can be accessed by any medical professional, including potential insurers---and hacked by anyone or any foreign government---and read by the U.S. government using its domestic spying powers as long as they pretend to think you a possible terror risk----that will make all our medical histories an open book. Think of how useful that will be. The feds will know how to target their political enemies. You tested positive for cocaine when you were treated in the local ER for chest pain? It will be on Fox News tomorrow. The Chinese government wants a lucrative contract? No problem. Just find out that the guy in charge is being treated for rectal condyloma.

[jeff47]

16. You should probably cut down on the conspiracy theorist web sites

The only reason I didn't specify a name for the law is some states have stronger laws than HIPAA.

Pharmacies sell it. Insurance companies trade it.

If your pharmacy or insurance company is doing so, congratulations! You're about to come into a large sum of money.

And the so called "medical privacy law" that is forcing your psychiatrist to put all your intimate secrets on a computer that can be accessed by any medical professional, including potential insurers

There is no centralized database. There is talk of creating a centralized database so that your new doctor can easily get your old medical records. One of the reasons this is still talk is they haven't worked out all the privacy controls yet.

The rest of your post descends from this error. And you aren't nearly interesting enough for a government to hack/spy your medical records.

[Mnemosyne]

17. Why the need to reply so snidely? McCamy didn't deserve that. n/t

[jeff47]

22. Why pander? (nt)

[Mnemosyne]

30. Why be a dickhead? n/t

[Mojorabbit]

28. Medical records are going computerized now

My husband signed a contract for his patient records several months ago. It is happening now all over the country as far as I am aware, eg
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/electronic-medical-records_n_1236686.html
As the article says, it is happening nationally albeit slowly and inefficiently. I have huge concerns as does my husband at having this info online.

[The Doctor.]

11. There is a line of Glass in the Sand there.

It's called "HIPAA".

Still, you raise a good point. Every day is a new wild west in the world, and there are many lines not yet drawn.

Isn't it fun to watch despite the ramifications?

[Kellerfeller]

29. "on the side?"

Ignoring your specific example since others addressed it, how much do you pay Google for the service they provide to you?

I know I don't pay anything. If they need to throw some ads at me (which I ignore) to pay the bills so the FREE service remains, I have no problem with that.

[KurtNYC]

31. "on the side" ? How much do you pay Google?

Their main business is advertising.

And it doesn't work the way you have characterized it. They don't sell the info -- advertisers pay Google and Google uses the information to do the targeting. There is no human being at Google who goes through your searches and decides what segment to put you in. It is database stuff. The ads you click will count much more than any search you do. Though they keep all that data -- every search and every click. The also lump in your YouTube likes, playlists, comments and clicks.

Google's business is the same as Fox, NBC or Westwood One -- they sell audiences to advertisers. It is not what they do "on the side."

[The Doctor.]

4. Oh, BTW... I do LOVE the tactic described here.

I might have to play with it too.

[jsmirman]

6. That software exists

in one incarnation, it's called "Track Me Not."

It's running random searches right now, as I type.

[McCamy Taylor]

7. Hot damn! Paranoia 1, Madison Ave. 0

[jsmirman]

12. Totally - I am currently interested in "Ancient Greeks"

or at least that's what the bottom bar of my browser is telling me right now.

Now, I actually do find that to be an interesting topic to delve into on occasion, but it will surely switch to something even less relevant, shortly.

Yep, now we're searching for "ensign," lol.

[Zalatix]

20. Not as useful as filling Google up with random junk.

They'll look for a way around "Track Me Not". They have no defense against random junk.

[jsmirman]

24. "Track Me Not" literally sends random junk

much faster and much more randomly than I ever could...

[Zalatix]

25. Does it work for Chrome?

[jsmirman]

26. Apparently, yes

I'm using trackmenot on firefox (which I use most often) and I use "ghostery" for chrome. But I made that decision really by picking out of a hat.

This is a link for trackmenot for chrome, though: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,201096/description.html

It may have a problem with one or two sites, but even the one site I thought it was having trouble with it seems to work fine with now.

[jeff47]

8. Why, exactly, is it better for me to watch those tampon ads?

I'm a guy. I will never use a tampon. I write down the exact details of what kind to buy and get that if the missus asks me to buy them.

My eyeballs are going to have to see ads anyway. Why is it better for me to see tampon ads? I'd kinda prefer to see ads that vaguely interest me instead.

Btw, for those interested: This link shows what Google thinks you are: https://www.google.com/settings/u/0/ads/onweb/

[DCKit]

9. I'm thinking a lot of us would be profiled as child abusers.

You mix all that up, and it's going to come out wrong.

Thanks Google!!!!!!

[Mnemosyne]

18. I googled children's balls. Wow, what an awakening. Very careful of wording now.

[Dreamer Tatum]

13. Statistically insignificant. nt

[customerserviceguy]

14. Well, instead of wasting all that time with grandma's gardening book

I could just ignore the ads that Google, etc. send me. That would serve the same purpose as having them sell my information to firms I just won't buy from.

The only things I buy online are the things I deliberately look up to buy. If we all stopped acting like we had a ring in our noses, they'd stop this strategy. On the other hand, I get all kinds of useful services such as search engines just because there are people who are easily distracted by things dangled in front of their faces.

[Zalatix]

19. How do we get this meme spread worldwide, beyond the DU? I'll volunteer.

Let's do this. Spread the word. Everyone find another forum and spread the word until it becomes the next big thing.

[PowerToThePeople]

21. DNS blacklisting?

I haven't seen any ads or sent any info to googleleadservices in a very long time. my blacklist is well over 1000 domains so far.

You control what your computer does. It is only a machine.

[davidthegnome]

23. Hmm

If there's one thing I love and have always loved about the internet above all else, it's the freedom. Emails require no paid postage, all attempts to tax them (so far) have not ended well for the feds.

So in the spirit of freedom, I think ad companies have the right to promote whatever they please. I do, however, question their methods. I suppose I could delete my search history more regularly, even use your method to mess up google's data mining, but for someone like me it isn't worth the bother. They can try to sell me whatever they like, advertise away - I'm way too broke to pay for much beyond my computer and an internet connection.

Still, I don't like the idea of what I do online, in my own time, being available for viewing by any advertiser who's looking for a target audience. There are better ways - such as getting listed with the search engines via precise key words, meta tags, accurate descriptions, even pay per click if you have the cash for it. There's so many forms of advertising ranging from free to absurdly expensive that there is really no need for this sort of tracking. It may be profitable, but it is unethical and as a matter of principle I wouldn't be interested in buying a product (provided I could afford it, which I usually can't) from a company that used such methods to sell their products.

If I'm looking for cheap vitamins (one of the few things I've bought online in the last few months) I can run a search and come up with thousands of results from numerous companies. The ones listed at the top or near the top have the best chance of getting the sale, because I don't feel like clicking through 20 pages of search results. So they reach their targeted audience either through skilled advertising and web development, or through paying google or yahoo or another search engine to provide a service.

I used to be a network marketer, I have some idea of how the market works and what google is up to. I still dislike the idea of keeping search profiles as most people won't realize this is being done, so when they are bombarded with advertisements they'll be both surprised and probably annoyed. I've found that annoying potential customers isn't generally a good way to do business. I also don't like the idea that this information is available for just about anyone. I don't care enough to go to any lengths to combat it, as I really have nothing to hide in any event. Some people though, value their privacy a great deal more than I.

I think your method is amusing McCamy - and likely to give a few advertisers head aches. Good. They deserve head aches for using such methods. I can say with 100% certainty that such methods of data mining and advertising aren't nearly as effective as finding honest ways to reach your target audience. I know this not because I'm an awesome salesman - but because I've known a few who are.

I'm not terribly fond of google, I use it frequently for information, but rarely to buy products. If I want to buy something online, I almost always go with different search engines. It's because of practices like this that I do so.

[DCKit]

27. Cute, but I don't want to be innudated with ads bout how much $$$ I can make...

by running an aardvark farm.

And, as you say, that's just the beginning.