Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


0

Web Apps Keep Tabs on National Mood

They troll mountains of online data seeking economic indicators

Share

(Newser) – Web-based tools have become increasingly adept at measuring a critical economic indicator: the nation’s mood. Whereas old indicators were based on surveys, these applications sift through mountains of online data, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. TweetFeel, for example, looks for select words and emoticons on Twitter. Other systems do the same for blogs. Emotionr.com even has a running world happiness score—currently at 6.15 out of 10.

Google’s Insights for Search lets marketers see how consumers are talking about their products. The White House has even cited Google data, noting that searches for “economic depression” have fallen recently. Google says that data’s unscientific, but says its Trends project predicted the ebbs and flows of flu season ahead of the Centers for Disease Control, and believes it could spot similar economic moves.

Computers have made it easier than ever to determine the nation's mood.
Computers have made it easier than ever to determine the nation's mood.   (Shutterstock)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

There's a lot of merit and promise in looking at these queries and trying to derive some insights. It's something that could be a neat opportunity on the horizon for us. - RJ Pittman, Google director of product management

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
0 comments
VIEWING:
 
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

12 Stories

ANALYSIS

 Thank Beck, 
 Internet for 
 Van Jones 
 Uproar 

Strategy deflected attention from Jones' Beck boycott

Sep 6, 09 2:37 PM CDT
(Newser) - The mainstream media entirely ignored the controversy over now-former Obama adviser Van Jones, who was slyly forced out by Glenn Beck and his online fans, Politico reports. Beck whipped up a fury over Jones—who once signed a 9/11 conspiracy petition—without mentioning that the green jobs czar was also... More »

MORE ABOUT:
media • Google • Internet • White House • September 11 • czar • Glenn Beck • boycott • presidential adviser • conspiracy theory • Twitter • Van Jones

(Newser) - Irate Twitterers appear to have forced General Motors to scrap a proposed Buick plug-in hybrid based on the Saturn Vue, Jalopnik reports. “VUE, with a touch of Buick,” tweeted one hater. “I dub thee the Vue-ick.” GM cited “the overwhelmingly negative response to this vehicle”... More »

MORE ABOUT:
social networking • Internet • Saturn • car shows • Twitter • Buick • Jay-ZTV • VUE

(Newser) - The surge in Internet traffic yesterday as Michael Jackson fans searched for information about his death had a deep impact on the Web, Ars Technica reports. Sites as diverse as Twitter and the iTunes Store slowed to a crawl, but perhaps the most profound effect was on Google. The search... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • music • social networking • Google • Internet • traffic • spam • death • iTunes Store • Michael Jackson • Twitter

12 Stories


Politics  •  Arts & Living  •  Business  •  Technology 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
Google • Internet • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • consumer confidence • emotion • Twitter • Jay-ZTV • collective emotion • Google Trends • Google Insights for Search • flu season • TweetFeel • Emotionr.com

from our news partners