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June 24, 2003

To Google or not to Google

That is the search engine (via GeekPress):

In the US Google has mutated into a verb. Singletons will "google" a new boyfriend or girlfriend - run their name through a search engine - to check them out. People now talk about "googling" and "being googled".

The Flea notes "singleton" has entered the language. Google is worried the same effect will diminish their brand-ownership as it follows a path laid out by Kleenex, Saran Wrap and all those other all too popular brands.

Robbie Williams - famous in the UK, nobody in the US of A - is happy with Google's ubiquity:

US women who initially reject his amorous advances often have a change of heart when they run his name through a search engine.

"I've since been told: 'That girl googled you because she knows who you are now.' So hurrah for googling!" says Williams. "Science got me laid."

Posted by Ghost of a flea at June 24, 2003 08:56 AM

Comments

William Gibson picked up on this in "Pattern Recognition", so assume it's been discernable for up to two years now...

There is, I believe, a discussion on this on his website and probably a mention in his blog.

Go to:

http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/

...as a start...I'll leave the exact location as an exercise for the student.

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at June 24, 2003 10:24 AM

Oh yes...would that be "singleton" or "simpleton"?

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at June 24, 2003 10:25 AM