Google's data mining capability is comparable to that of a major government. Just using their search data, they can predict disease outbreaks [0], and can proba

Google's data mining capability is comparable to that of a major government. Just using their search data, they can predict disease outbreaks [0], and can probably predict other macro events like recessions and cultural shifts. Google is just more effective at processing the data that is already collected. If Google ran the War on Terror, they would dissolve 99.9% of plots before they begin. The falsely accused would have to sit in prison, since they couldn't get anyone on the phone even if they wanted to. That's fine though, because they would get free food and Internet in their Google jail cell, and hear talks by other famous inmates. [0] http://www.google.org/flutrends/ http://www.google.org/flutrends/