Internet advertising has become a growing source of revenue for search engine giant Google, and this April 13 New York Times article documents the company’s human and machine resources which are an integral part of their successful marketing strategy, and also provides illustrated examples (available in the print version of the paper) of how they target ads to users’ specific preferences.
The Times also published another article on April 13, Some Search Results Hit Too Close to Home. The site’s Phonebook service allows users to enter phone numbers that are available through white pages listings to locate the name, address and directions to a specified individual’s home. This reverse look-up directory is a third party service on Google, has been available on the site for two years, and is a feature on other search engines and sites (see AT&T’s Anywho). However, Google’s dominance of the search engine environment has resulted in users communicating their privacy concerns to the company, and in response, the site has posted a Google Phonebook Name Removal link.