How Google uses YOUR Gmail for Social Search

Google’s social search allows you to look up which of your friends are sharing something online. Here if you search and look up social search on Google, it will show you the name of your friends who shared something.

Ever wondered how Google manages to know who your friends on other networks, even if they are not part of your Google contacts? The answer lies with Google profiles.

Google_search_social_example

If you are signed into your Google account, look up this link and you will come across a complete list of your Gmail contacts and their social connections along with related shared content through these connections. Clicking on ‘Show paths’ allows you further information on social connections made through Google Profile.

Below is an screen-shot of my friend’s connections via Google Profile.

Gmail_contacts_social_search

With Google+, more and more people will end up having Google profiles which are active. Most people end up sharing links to blogs, social networking accounts. As more people end up using Google+, our Gmail contact list will become a tremendous source of social information for Google.

Can we do anything about it? Not really, all this information is shared voluntarily and Google is only putting it together.

Do drop in your comments.

Link: Google Social Connections

One Comment

Siddhartha Sinha August 15, 2011

This is a very good info