Why Google Wants You To Google Yourself

The act of Googling oneself has become the digital age’s premiere guilty pleasure — an activity enjoyed by all and admitted by few. The phenomenon has even been the subject of scholarly research. Last year, a team of Swiss and Australian social scientists published a study concluding that the practice of self-Googling (or “Egosurfing” as it’s sometimes called) can partly be traced to a rise in narcissism in society but is also an attempt by people to identify and shape their personal online “brand.” The authors of the survey no doubt returned to their cubicles and Googled themselves to see if the study was posted online.

The folks at Google are well aware that their site handles millions of vanity searches every day, and that users aren’t always thrilled about the results that pop up when they Google themselves.

Source: TIME