Flu-oogle
The world's favorite search engine launched a unique application today -- and while it will help health professionals, to me it's both fascinating, and a little creepy!
Google calls it Flu Trends. They will track user searches about the flu as those searches take place, and believe that will give them an indication of where the flu is gaining a foothold. So, for example, if they begin to see many searches from an area in Minnesota, they will map where those requests are coming from, and we'll be able to see that area called out on a map.
How do they know where those requests are coming from? Each of our computers has a unique ID (called an IP address), and each of the networks we use has IDs that are geographically determined... bottom line... Google knows where we live. Thus, if someone begins searching for flu information from your computer, Google will know it came from you.
That's the good news and the bad news. The good news is that tracking the flu will help healthcare providers and facilities prepare for the "flu wave" that will come their way. The bad news is that there's a certain loss of privacy that goes along with it.
So what if you want to learn more about the flu and not be tracked? Don't use Google... use Yahoo or another search engine. That solves that!
And what if you get the flu? Well then, I'll simply say, "I told you so." You've been warned! Because yes -- even the young and healthy need flu shots.
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Comments
There is something very freaky about the idea that Google can track what we search for, where we live, and then report on it.
A flu map is a “neat” idea… but it doesn’t take too many sci-fi movies to get you wondering where technology like this may lead. Yikes.
I think it’s interesting that the news thinks the average person is interested in epidemiology statistics. It’s not like we’re watching the weather because the radiation cloud may be moving our way. If the “average Joe/Josephine” is tracking the flu will it change anyone’s behavior? If they didn’t get a flu shot or make a habit of washing their hands, seeing the flu map isn’t going to change their ways.
Let’s save this kind of surveillance for something where we can make a difference.
Yeah, I’m creeped.
I cannot forget the times when our government tested things on the public, putting some virus in a lightblub in New York City subway stations and breaking it at a time in which they thought appropriate, etc.
In those days they would have to rely on local doctors to report cases to them to see how far the germ had spread. Now, they will only have to match locations with Googles.
I am all for more information being made public than less. The more we know the more confident we can be. It is what is not told to us that is usually the problem.
I was told that when we catch the flu our immune systems build a resistance to that strain and also we get some resistance to what it may morph into in the future.
If we get a flu shot, we only are resistant to that one flu. The kicker is that there is lead time necessary to develop the shot. The flu moves in a path around the globe. We make a shot of the strain found in China or somewhere. By the time the flu reaches our shores it has changed from the China strain and the shots are often no longer effective.
It is strange that all these ‘encouraging’ flu shot articles do not address these issues. Do they desire a public that is stupid or impressed with ‘orders’ from the government or people with ‘Md’ after their names? It makes me feel as though they expect us to react in some conditioned robotic manner.
Why not carry more in-depth articles? Do some research. Find out if there are alternative opinions.
If enough people buy into this they may start mandating the shots.
Look at the link between vaccines and birth defects.
Remember when they tried to inoculate the entire population with the Swine Flu vaccine? I was in a hospital then and not ONE nurse would take it. They would be fired first.
So, although it should always remain an INDIVIDUAL decision, I fear that they will start mandating vaccines through this HERD theory. Because they now think the vaccine protects the community, the ‘community’ may shortly be able to mandate that we take the vaccine.
I had never had a flu shot and I was recently fired by my new Dr. because I refused to take a flu shot.My sister has been taking flu shots for years and every year she has the flu.Go figure.Do some research.This is all about greed.
Linda,
If doctors made any money whatsoever by giving flu shots, I’d agree with you. You’ll find there is plenty of information on this website about the profit motive in medicine.
But doctors don’t make money, nor do the flu vaccine manufacturers make more than is fair for them to make.
It’s impossible for your sister to get the flu from a flu shot. If she gets sick, it could be a really bad upper respiratory infection — but it is not the flu.
Trisha