During a recent Viewpoints segment about Google, Doug Jacobson, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the Information Assurance Center, discussed how Google can seemingly know where you are located during searches by evaluating the address your computer uses when it connects to the Internet. He also discussed how companies can’t tie your computer to you personally unless you give them information, such as when shopping on places like Amazon.com.
His insights were provided during the interview “The Googlization of Everything: How it affects our searches.” The talk also featured Siva Vaidhyanathan, Professor of Media Studies and Law, University of Virginia, and author of “The Googlization of Everything: And why we should worry,” who wants to encourage Google users to be more conscious of how the company works and affects our culture by making decisions for people as they are seeking information.