I'm not exactly sure what to think of Google's new flu tracking site. If I understand the program correctly, they are using aggregated search information from users to gauge the spread of influenza. If you feel a fever coming on and you do a search for remedies on Google, a blip at your location is added to the list of possible infected. Google discovered that Google Trends was already tracking the flu outbreak when it compared trend data with CDC survey reports, their new tool complies the data into a national map and trend line. This could be incredibly helpful to hospitals and schools who need fair warning before the virus moves to their location, of course, it could also lead to statewide quarantines.


Google Flu Trends