Am I being paranoid?

**SimonMac** · 14 June 2011, 10:42

Originally posted by xoggoth View Post

Used to Google's shenanigans of presenting stuff related to what we search for, like the other day I was searching to try and figure out how to do my own iXBR accounts and there seemed to be a lot of ads about iXBR sofware/accountants on other pages too.

But yesterday was wierd. I have a minor problem in that I think some dealer is trying to avoid giving me the van warranty I paid for and I was looking into legal options when the phone rang and some women asked me if I needed any free legal advice.

Are our searches being watched by companies in real time now or was it just a coincidence?

Does Google know your telephone number?

I think we can put that down to a happy coincidence but I agree that Google is getting very close to going sentient.

**amcdonald** · 14 June 2011, 10:43

You'll notice it most with online stores, and how if you've browsed sites recently they'll be all over online ads on pages you visit

If you count cookes, and web bugs etc it is pretty much real time

**minestrone** · 14 June 2011, 10:50

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

Does Google know your telephone number?

I think we can put that down to a happy coincidence but I agree that Google is getting very close to going sentient.

With android they can probably work out what my phone number is and it would not be hard to marry up my searches being logged into google most of the time.

**suityou01** · 14 June 2011, 11:30

Originally posted by xoggoth View Post

Used to Google's shenanigans of presenting stuff related to what we search for, like the other day I was searching to try and figure out how to do my own iXBR accounts and there seemed to be a lot of ads about iXBR sofware/accountants on other pages too.

But yesterday was wierd. I have a minor problem in that I think some dealer is trying to avoid giving me the van warranty I paid for and I was looking into legal options when the phone rang and some women asked me if I needed any free legal advice.

Are our searches being watched by companies in real time now or was it just a coincidence?

Also, can I just add that the Germaloids you just bought online is cheaper if you buy in packs of 10. How was your pizza last night? Did you enjoy your film, "Shaving Ryan's privates"?

**Sysman** · 14 June 2011, 12:48

Originally posted by xoggoth View Post

Are our searches being watched by companies in real time now or was it just a coincidence?

Saw an ad for my ISP appear on a UK news site a couple of weeks ago. Nothing unusual in that, except within a minute or two I got an email from them trying to flog me an upgrade.

I'm not paranoid about this because my ISP knows both my IP and email addresses, but it is confirmation that they are doing stuff in real time.

I can't believe it was coincidence. They normally send me upgrade offers by post.

**OwlHoot** · 14 June 2011, 13:26

What irritates me sometimes about Google's typamatic instant search is that half way through typing the search words, you see the perfect result but then lose it never to recover it after typing a few more letters (and backspacing doesn't always seem to recover it!)

**Sysman** · 14 June 2011, 13:33

Originally posted by OwlHoot View Post

What irritates me sometimes about Google's typamatic instant search is that half way through typing the search words, you see the perfect result but then lose it never to recover it after typing a few more letters (and backspacing doesn't always seem to recover it!)

I saw a variation of that yesterday. Something I'd seen on telly reminded me of a bit of local history from where I grew up, and wanted to read up on it. Saw the "perfect result" appear from Google, but it led me to hotels rather than any historical information.

Pretty useless really.

Am I being paranoid?