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Google Chav

One of the more random ideas I had recently was based around Google’s “special searches” which enable a more focussed search to be conducted based on the knowledge that a reader is interested in a general topic.

I hypothesised that it is not specifically the topic that’s important, but the stereotype of the person who is doing the search. I therefore wondered, “Could the same demographic population groupings that are used in the advertising profession be used to tailor a search based on what you are socially most likely to want to know?”


Try it.
(This is not an official Google service.)

I predict that although the subject matter of the search results should be approximately the same, it could probably be provided by a more appropriate source for the reader. In short: If I search for something, the results that are returned to me will be more useful if my stereotypical likes and dislikes are somehow included.

Unless there is a global shift towards communism, a classless society cannot exist, so if my hypothesis is correct it could prove valuable in our capitalist world. So, embracing our social baggage and the fact that we’re all different, and without further ado, I present Google Chav.

It’s a crude hack, but it works. Pretend for a few moments that you’re a Chav, and try a few searches. It appears that my general theory is correct – the content is largely the same, but the vendors are different.

I’ve tried two ways of influencing the content so far. The first is through direct insertion of terms into the search which is what you see on the site. The second method uses google’s “related:” function and for that I created a page containing things associated with chavs (having done my research by initially googling for chav). Currently the second option is not effective, because the GoogleBot has yet to index the page, so google doesn’t know what’s on it. Over time I expect this to change.

Posted on April 8th, 2005 by Rich

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