Google uses 57 signals to personalise search when you're logged out

23:25 on Wed, 18 May 2011 | SEO | 6 Comments

A stumbled accross a TED talk tonight by Eli Pariser, Author of The Filter Bubble: What the Internet is Hiding From You. It covers some personalisation and censorship issues on the web, primarily talking about Facebook and Google customising feeds and search results with the end user having any control.

The video specifically mentions that Eli was told, "by a Google Engineer", that the search giant uses 57 individual signals to personalise the search results, despite the user not being logged in. Eli goes on to give a few basic examples of how search result pages differ massively based on this personalisation.

Watch the video below:

Comments & Discussion

(6 Comments)

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Rogue_Leader • Last year

"I would like to know the 57 signals that Google uses for SEO."

And that's exactly why you should never know. Get your SEO off my usability.

Nikunj • Years ago

I have encountered something similar, I was using google chrome & was not logged into my google account was doing some research on one of the site regarding inspiration & after few minutes when i visited youtube all the homepage was recommending videos that were related to inspiration

Tola • Years ago

Very interesting! Yes I'll love to know the 57 signals as well but aside from that its really interesting the way Google literally takes over the Internet without you knowing it! I remember when the Egypt crisis was going on and there were still PPC campaigns going on offering holidays! Meanwhile there was a bigger problem at hand which Google nicely brushed aside for some...
It just goes to show we've got to be very very careful around the Internet and not live in an island of our own making...

Nicely side!

Mark • Years ago

@Imre - I don't think you're alone :)

Imre Bernath • Years ago

Very good video!

I would like to know the 57 signals that Google uses for SEO.

JC • Years ago

Great Topic! Very interssting! It should let us all think about the internet in another way!