Google And Public Health Agencies Create Possible Privacy Problem

Some of you know that yesterday Google announced that it was working with the CDC to monitor flu-related searches in its search engine ("flu," "flu symptoms," "muscle aches") and, further, to pinpoint what part of the country the searches are/were coming from and turn the results over to the CDC, otherwise known as the federal government.

Although both parties are offering assurances that the data won't be used to pinpoint individuals, I simply don't trust either Google or the CDC enough to be comfortable with said assurances. Anytime the feds gather personal data beyond basic income and tax information I get worried. I also don't trust public health agencies to limit their interests to relatively benign efforts to track possible flu outbreaks. If tracking the flu by Internet searches works to their taste, what's to stop them from monitoring other searches in the name of public health? You could seriously see a day when the CDC monitors America's mind via the Internet for suicide searches, depression symptoms searches, cheap cigarettes searches and so on and agency officials would come kicking down someone's door with an offering of Prozac or Seroquel (or Chantix) or they'd demand that such and such a teen undergo a mental health screening or go to counseling or he'll be taken away for the good of society.

"We've seen your son's Google searches, sir."

I worry about that kind of thing, from time to time when the government and high tech companies start working hand in glove. The Internet used to be a place for freedom of expression, now it's trending towards a place where our simplest impulses are observed. Google execs hinted that there's more to come:

"'From a technological perspective, it is the beginning,' said Eric E. Schmidt, Google’s chief executive."

Nice.

Here's how the CDC justified the program:

"Some public health experts say the Google data could help accelerate the response of doctors, hospitals and public health officials to a nasty flu season, reducing the spread of the disease and, potentially, saving lives.

"'The earlier the warning, the earlier prevention and control measures can be put in place, and this could prevent cases of influenza,' said Dr. Lyn Finelli, lead for surveillance at the influenza division of the C.D.C. From 5 to 20 percent of the nation’s population contracts the flu each year, she said, leading to roughly 36,000 deaths on average."

It'll be interesting to see how this all works out. And where it all goes.

Ironically, yesterday I spiked a small fever in the late morning, but I didn't need a Google search to tell me what to do: rest, fluids, aspirin, don't go out into the wind and rain for a walk (I'm already pounding vitamins). By mid-afternoon, the fever was gone and I took it easy on myself last night, although it was tempting to get out. It was a long, dark rainy day and an even bigger storm moved in during the evening, one that will apparently hammer the Seattle area for the next 24 hours or so.

Maybe the CDC would like to bring me an umbrella?