Internet search engine Google plans to target people’s interests using data collected on its users Lesley-Anne Henry asks: is this the next logical step or the thin end of the orwellian wedge Google’s declaration of intent to assemble the most comprehensive database of personal information has thrown down the gauntlet to civil libertarians. The multi-billion pound search engine claims it wants to ‘better’ the internet experience by organising the world’s information and collating data on its users so it can guess what customers are searching for. The ultimate aim is to make Google so personal that it can target people known to be interested in certain products or services just from their Google activities. It is expected that one day users could ask a computer ‘What should I do today?’ or ‘Which job should I take?’ and it will tell them the answer. In theory there should be no problem. In fact, the new database could make life easier – perhaps even better. For example if you want to buy a particular book from a certain site, Google could locate other sites selling the same book at a cheaper price or it could recommend other […]