Google oggling Wiki style

Today I stumbled across Google's Image Labeler, which helps to improve the quality of Google's image search results. I was randomly paired with an online 'partner'. Over a 90-second period, he/she and I were shown the same set of images and asked to provide as many labels as possible to describe each image in the set. Presumably, matching labels are added to Google's list for that image.

At the time of writing, it's still in BETA stage and is a little shaky. There's no financial reward but it's a very useful little procrastination device. If you've done as many image searches as I have, you may find this quite fascinating because you get a small insight into other people's instinctive perceptions of what they're looking at. The trick is not to get suckered into providing really obvious labels just to guarantee there'll be a match with the other player.

It struck me that - like many attempts at democratising web-services - it could just end up dumbing down (and slowing down) the search process. I then decided to do a bit of armchair eco-activism.... or reality-checking. For this image, my partner came up with: "blue", "sky", "flying", "plane".
I on the other hand, offered: "vapour trail", "pollution", "emissions" and "climate change".

If you and your partner don't get a match, you won't be able to see each other's suggestions at the end, so it's important to add in an obvious word before the 90 seconds is up. That way, even if you haven't succeeded at influencing Google's search results, you will be able to challenge the perceptions of the dude you've just partnered with (as long as they choose to view your suggestions at the end of the game).

Right, now that the future of the planet is safe again, I think I'll make a cup of tea.


P.S. If you're ever partnered with Katspike, you'll be playing me.