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FarCenter

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6. Could Facebook Warn You Before You Get the Flu?

Mon Oct 14, 2013, 01:12 PM

Oct 2013

Google Flu Trends, which debuted in 2008, is more analytic in its reporting, using anonymized, "aggregated Google search data to estimate current flu activity around the world in real time." In other words, someone doesn’t feel well, so they turn to the web and Google terms like “flu symptoms” or “fever.” The search engine giant is then able to input these queries into a chart, and monitor their fluctuations. One advantage Google Flu Trends and other online health networks have over traditional flu-monitoring agencies like the Center for Disease Control is the immediacy and geographic comprehension of their updates. The CDC will provide more in-depth reports, but data is usually generated one region at a time, and on a weekly basis.

http://www.policymic.com/articles/22016/could-facebook-warn-you-before-you-get-the-flu

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What If a Flu Breaks Out When CDC Can�t Track It? [View all] xchrom Oct 2013 OP

Oh whatever. A little flu never killed anyone. progressoid Oct 2013 #1

Sure. That's a states'-rights issue. Orsino Oct 2013 #19

Twitter, Facebook, CVS and Walgreens will know first FarCenter Oct 2013 #2

sounds like a bunch of horseshit. nt xchrom Oct 2013 #4

Why? Sounds reasonable to me. GreenStormCloud Oct 2013 #5

DIY epidemiology analysis xchrom Oct 2013 #7

Except many people with a common cold use flu remedies. Ikonoklast Oct 2013 #10

Could Facebook Warn You Before You Get the Flu? FarCenter Oct 2013 #6

it sounds like the USA is forgetting the melm00se Oct 2013 #9

Yep. BluegrassStateBlues Oct 2013 #12

Epidemiologists studying exactly that seem to disagree with you, but hey. (nt) Posteritatis Oct 2013 #15

epidemiologists know what the fuck they're looking at, but hey...nt xchrom Oct 2013 #20

Thank you for agreeing with me! (nt) Posteritatis Oct 2013 #21

It's already breaking out. lonestarnot Oct 2013 #3

Beat me to it! graywarrior Oct 2013 #8

That's actually Cancer. Ikonoklast Oct 2013 #11

Ooohhh, sorry! graywarrior Oct 2013 #13

You say Tea Party', I say ' Cancer'...both are virulent blights on humanity. Ikonoklast Oct 2013 #14

NOW we're getting clear! graywarrior Oct 2013 #17

I'd describe the Tea Party more in terms of projectile Tourette's. (nt) Posteritatis Oct 2013 #16

Maybe we can ask the WHO to step in. kentauros Oct 2013 #18