Search Insider - Blog Archive - How Serious is Google About No Behavioral Targeting?

Media post discusses Google's use of search behavior to target specific results and offers. According to the post, Google's product management vice president, Susan Wojcicki's announcement last week that nothing is stored or remembered beyond a single session is not likely to be the last word on whether the search giant will use search data stored beyond a single session to target ad offers and organic search results in the future.


Mark Simon notes several reasons why the possibility may become a reality, including Google's pending DoubleClick acquisition. Additionally, Simon noted that Wojcicki did not specifically rule out the possibility, only that Google had not engaged in what it calls traditional behavioral targeting in the future.

Finally, a 2005 patent application filed by Google outlines a process similar to "traditional" behavioral targeting processes.

Given the AOL leak of search data, privacy issues are likely to be a user concern. Google does have a reputation for valuing relevance, which, hopefully will not change. There is value in using session data to hone in on relevant results. Storing and using prior session data to target offers, or to manipulate organic search results may be a little more difficult to sell to users, although DoubleClick is very good at selling its benefits to businesses.

Labels: AOL, Doubleclick, Google, privacy, relevance