Do Surfing Habits Predict Economic Trends?
from the grasping-for-straws dept
Everyone wants to be able to predict the future. From looking at tea leaves to studying technical "trends" in the stock market, everyone seems to have their own method of predicting the future. Now, some are wondering if watching how consumers surf online can help predict economic trends. Not surprisingly, the folks who sell that sort of data believe it's incredibly telling. Others, however, are less convinced that you can learn anything from watching how people surf. I'm sure the data is useful for some very specific things, but I have a hard time believing it indicates much about the overall economy.
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